Politics

Jenny Palmer defects to UUP as pressure grows on Peter Robinson

Lisburn councillor Jenny Palmer with BBC NI Spotlight reporter Mandy McAuley
Lisburn councillor Jenny Palmer with BBC NI Spotlight reporter Mandy McAuley Lisburn councillor Jenny Palmer with BBC NI Spotlight reporter Mandy McAuley

Jenny Palmer, the former DUP councillor who quit the party after claiming she had been bullied, has joined the Ulster Unionists.

Her husband, John Palmer, who is a Lisburn councillor, has also joined the UUP. 

The Palmers left the DUP in May after the party moved to discipline Ms Palmer following an alleged attempt by a Stormont adviser to bully her into changing her vote on a multi-million pound contract.

In a joint statement, the couple said the Ulster Unionists leaving the executive was a deciding factor in their decision to defect.

It was like returning to the family home, they said.

 "Something that was an important factor in our decision was the courage shown by the Ulster Unionist Party. They have led by example during what is a shocking state of affairs, " Mr and Mrs Palmer said.

Mike Nesbitt, the party leader, told the BBC there could be more like her.

"We know there are others out there who are now looking to the Ulster Unionist Party as the way forward, because we have momentum, we have belief in ourselves and we have credibility with the electorate that we did not previously have."

Jenny Palmer was a relatively unknown councillor until two years ago when she appeared in a BBC Spotlight programme and alleged that DUP special advisor Stephen Brimstone had attempted to pressure her to change the way she was voting at a Housing Executive board meeting discussing an £8m-a-year contract for Red Sky.

The Housing Executive had planned to end its maintenance contract with Red Sky after the firm overcharged. 

Ms Palmer told the BBC Mr Brimstone warned her: "The party comes first - you do what you're told. Otherwise there is no point in being on the board."

Mr Brimstone later refused to fully cooperate with a Stormont inquiry that vindicated Ms Palmer and found Mr McCausland had acted inappropriately. Following the inquiry's findings, the DUP moved to discipline Ms Palmer.

The Palmers were originally members of the Ulster Unionist Party but left in 2003 to join the DUP.