FORMER first minister Arlene Foster has accused Jim Wells of never accepting her as DUP leader because she was a woman, claiming the former health minister is "still living in the 1970s".
The former DUP leader launched the attack on her one-time Stormont executive colleague after Mr Wells yesterday resigned from the DUP and backed TUV candidate Harold McKee in the forthcoming assembly election.
The politician-turned-GB News presenter said if the former South Down MLA had been selected by his "mate" Edwin Poots he would not be supporting the TUV's candidate, who is a former Ulster Unionist.
"Jim didn’t get his own way and so has thrown his toys out of the pram and gone off with the boys," she tweeted, adding: "The fact that (DUP South Down candidate) Diane Forsythe is a capable unionist WOMAN is too much for Jim to bear".
"Just as he could never accept the fact that I was party leader as a WOMAN and he continuously agitated against me," Mrs Foster continued.
"Jim is still living in the 1970s - sad but there it is."
She said the voters of South Down had a choice - "principled, able, active representation" in Ms Forsythe, saying Mr Wells hadn't given that "for years".
"Jim Wells who thought he could impose his will on the voters of South Down as if the seat was his and not theirs," she said.
But former DUP special adviser Tim Cairns weighed in, agreeing that Ms Forsythe was a "great candidate". However, he added: "That said Arlene, Jim needs no lessons from you in throwing toys out of the pram."
"What’s that supposed to mean?" Mrs Foster responded.
Mr Cairns said it was "fairly obvious".
"You’re not someone who is famed for keeping the toys in the pram!" he said.
Mrs Foster quit as DUP leader last year after an internal party revolt.
