A Mid-Ulster SDLP councillor last night dramatically resigned from the party.
Denise Mullen, who was elected to Mid-Ulster District Council in 2014, revealed her decision to party colleagues minutes before a meeting of the council in Dungannon.
Ms Mullen disagreed with her party's decision to oppose a DUP motion about same sex marriage.
The unionist party had put forward a motion stating its opposition to a recent decision taken at Westminster to "enforce" same sex marriage if no political agreement is reached by October.
DUP councillor Paul McLean had also called on the council to write to new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging him to withdraw the decision.
Speaking last night, Ms Mullen said: "I have been considering it (resigning) for a while.
"The timing is right for me to continue to do my work for constituents and others and not under the heading of the SDLP.
"I wish them well in whatever direction they are trying to go. I feel abstaining was best while, as a Catholic, not having a consultation/direction from the Catholic Church, I don't honestly have a view either way (on same sex marriage)".
