A COUNCILLOR who quit the SDLP has accused the party of a lack of "transparency" over how it chose Cara Hunter to replace the late John Dallat as MLA.
Causeway Coast and Glens councillor Angela Mulholland said concerns over the selection process were among several reasons why she resigned from the party on Thursday.
Ms Mulholland said she supported Ms Hunter being proposed as the new East Derry MLA, including signing her nomination papers.
However, she expressed disappointment that fellow councillor Stephanie Quigley, who had also sought nomination for the role, was not given an interview.
The SDLP grassroots in East Derry have been divided over Ms Hunter's co-option in May following the death of veteran politician John Dallat.
Mr Dallat's daughter, councillor Helena Dallat O'Driscoll, was also interviewed by the party for the MLA role.
In July Ms Quigley resigned from the SDLP, citing the party's stance on abortion.
Ms Mulholland (55) said her decision to leave was "by no means a knee-jerk reaction".
She said there have been "an awful lot of difficulties" within the SDLP council group in Causeway Coast and Glens.
It was "the icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned" when Ms Quigley had applied for the MLA role but "was not even afforded an interview".
Ms Mulholland said she had supported former Derry deputy mayor Ms Hunter (24) applying for the post.
"Cara Hunter got it and I supported Cara, but the way she got it, it wasn't right," she added.
"If Helena had of got it, it wouldn't have been right, and the person who should probably have got it wasn't even afforded an interview."
Expressing concern over the process, Ms Mulholland referenced how the party has been pushing for transparency in the council.
"How can we be associated with processes that are not open and transparent? That's just hypocritical," she added.
However, Ms Mulholland said she would "still continue to support Cara in any way that I can".
In her statement upon leaving the party, Ms Mulholland said becoming an independent councillor "will afford me the opportunity to be an 'independent inclusive voice' for the whole community".
Asked whether she regarded herself as a nationalist, Ms Mulholland said: "I don't honestly know."
"I have a British passport. I have never had an Irish passport," she added.
The councillor said she believed "we should be concentrating on uniting Northern Ireland".
"If people have aspirations for a united Ireland so be it, that's amazing, that's wonderful. If that's what the majority of people want I would be happy to go along with that, but I'm as happy in Northern Ireland as being in a united Ireland," she said.
"I'm happy to make Northern Ireland work, and live in Northern Ireland and continue to build those relationships bringing people together and just get on with life."
The councillor, who described herself as "pro-life", also said she felt there was an effort within the SDLP to keep pro-choice voices "within the inner circle".
She said the SDLP needed a "better working relationship, from the bottom up" and that "communication has broken down".
Ms Mulholland said she joined the SDLP believing "it stood for peace, it stood for social justice", but added: "The ethos of the party is no longer there."
"I just want to continue trying to make this place a better place for everybody and to show respect for all the cultures that are here in our diverse society," she added.
An SDLP spokesman said: "The decision to leave the SDLP, a party of equality, peace, fairness and social justice, is a matter for Ms Mulholland.
"SDLP policy and procedures are decided democratically by our membership and we will always value and respect the decisions of our members.
"The SDLP continues to work to serve the needs of all in the community in Causeway Coast and Glens and we will continue to work to increase our representation at the local council so we can deliver change for our communities."
