IAN Paisley's wife Fiona has branded those in the DUP who deserted Edwin Poots as “turncoats”.
In a since deleted tweet on the day that the party leader lost the support of the majority of his MLAs, MPs, and peers, Mrs Paisley voiced her disgust at what had taken place.
Amid the crisis engulfing the DUP on Thursday, former party leader Arlene Foster had tweeted: "Just had a lovely lunch @DeanesAtQueens with a good friend. It’s great hospitality is open again - Hope everyone is having a great day this lovely sunny afternoon. #ProudofNI.”
However, Mrs Paisley took a different take on the turn of events which culminated in Mr Poots’ resigning on Thursday night after a crisis meeting with party officers at DUP headquarters in Belfast.
She tweeted: “No, it’s not such a lovely day – disgusted that a democratic vote taken a few weeks ago was rejected by the loosing side tonight #turncoats #onevoteless #DUP #timetoresign.”
North Antrim MP Mr Paisley is one of Mr Poots’ closest colleagues.
It is understood that when Mr Poots held discussions with Secretary of State Brandon Lewis on the protocol, just four days after becoming DUP leader, it was Mr Paisley he took to the meeting.
After some people walked out of the DUP Executive meeting in a Belfast hotel to ratify Mr Poots’ election as leader, Mr Paisley spoke emotionally to the media.
"If anyone in this party can talk about difficulty, it’s me. You saw what happened to my dad, it killed my father,” he said.
"I know it hurts and leadership transfer hurts, but you know something, we have to get over that, keep on working as a party. My father went to the grave with a broken heart because of what happened in his church and in his party."
