Northern Ireland

New DUP leader plans to 'reach out' to North Down MLA Alex Easton after he quit the party

Alex Easton yesterday quit the DUP
Alex Easton yesterday quit the DUP Alex Easton yesterday quit the DUP

DUP LEADER Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said he will be "reaching out" to disaffected MLA Alex Easton who yesterday announced his resignation from the party.

The North Down MLA, who says he will see out the mandate as an independent, resigned on what was officially the new leader's first full day in post.

A TUV spokesman told The Irish News there had been "no contact" between the party and the former DUP assembly member, who it is understood to have backed Sir Jeffrey during May's leadership contest.

Mr Easton, who was the DUP's North Down Westminster candidate in 2019 when Alliance's Stephen Farry pulled off a surprise victory, said his decision to quit had been precipitated by a number of reasons, including a lack of "respect, discipline or decency" within the party.

He is the highest-ranking DUP elected representative to resign from the party over recent weeks.

A number of councillors have quit the DUP though some have signalled their intention to return now that a new leader is in place.

"It is with great sadness and hurt that I find myself doing one of the hardest things in my life and resigning from the DUP," he said in a statement reported by the Co Down Spectator and Belfast Telegraph.

"I have had to stand back and watch as colleagues tear themselves apart, brief against other colleagues and run to the media in order to hurt each other on a daily basis. There is no respect, discipline or decency, I have just had enough.

"No matter who people supported during the recent leadership contest, I find elements from both sides are equally to blame for recent events, and it continues."

Mr Easton said he had given 21 years of his life to the DUP and that at times it had been an "extremely lonely" experience but "few have cared how I have felt".

"Unionism is in my heart and soul, and I crave unity for the unionist community," he said.

"I am not getting this from any of the unionist parties or their leaders at present. The union is slowly being eroded from beneath our feet."

He also wished the new DUP leader well in his new role, adding he would "like to see a positive and proactive unionism, not a reactive and submissive unionism".

Sir Jeffrey said he was "greatly saddened" to hear of Mr Easton's decision.

"He's a hard-working MLA, represents his constituency faithfully," he said yesterday.

"I will be reaching out to Alex, I will sit down with him, talk through his concerns and the issues that are important to Alex. My door will be open and the door of this party will be open to Alex, and I hope that one day Alex will find the path back to this party and I will encourage him to do so."

Sir Jeffrey said he had already spoken to other councillors who had decided to become independent and believed some would return to the DUP.

Mr Easton resignation statement also criticised Sinn Féin and the Dublin government.