THE Progressive Unionist Party is to be dealt a blow with the expected resignation of its only female elected representative, Julie Ann Corr Johnston.
The Irish News understands that the 28-year-old, a councillor for the Oldpark ward in north Belfast, is set to leave the party headed up by former UVF prisoner Billy Hutchinson.
It is believed she is considering running in this May's assembly elections as an independent and has the support of some party members.
One of Northern Ireland's few openly gay politicians, the popular councillor formed a civil partnership with her long-term partner in 2014.
She was elected to Belfast city council after polling almost 800 first preference votes in 2014, and as one the party's most high-profile members has been outspoken in relation to female reproductive rights and educational underachievement in working class areas.
She was one of three PUP representatives returned to City Hall alongside Mr Hutchinson and Dr John Kyle, but sources suggest she has issues with the recent direction of the party.
PUP spokesman Winston Irvine played down the development on Wednesday, saying: "I don't want to comment because I'm not in any way, shape or form convinced that there's any validity or a scintilla or truth behind it.
"I'm not going to comment on something I don't believe is true."
However, the Irish News understands the north Belfast woman has decided to leave the party but will stay on as an independent in Belfast city council.
She will become one of two female unionist independents, after veteran DUP councillor Ruth Patterson was expelled from the party last year.
Ms Patterson had criticised the DUP's decision to overlook her for an assembly seat in South Belfast vacated by Jimmy Spratt, instead co-opting Peter Robinson's former special adviser Emma Pengelly.
The PUP's only previous female elected representative, Dawn Purvis, resigned from the party in 2010 after serving as party leader following the death of David Ervine in 2007.
