DUP MLA joins calls for O'Neill's removal as first minister

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 08:44 · Archive

A DUP assembly member has joined calls for Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill to be removed as Northern Ireland's First Minister.

Diane Forsythe, a DUP assembly member for South Down, has publicly supported calls from party colleague Carla Lockhart for Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill to be removed from office. The dispute centres on O'Neill's participation in demonstrations on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, County Armagh, which prevented a contentious Orange Order parade from proceeding along the predominantly nationalist street. Unionists have accused Sinn Féin of acting unlawfully, and O'Neill and other senior party figures have been interviewed by police investigating the protests.

Lockhart stepped down from the DUP's officer board last week after party leader Gavin Robinson refused to withdraw deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly from the Stormont Executive. Under Northern Ireland's power-sharing structures, removing the deputy First Minister would automatically force O'Neill from her joint post. Robinson has argued that collapsing the Executive would damage unionism, but Forsythe disagreed in a Monday night Facebook post, saying 'profound consequences' pledged to unionists 'must be honoured'.

O'Neill has defended her attendance at the demonstrations, saying she would 'continue to stand with the Garvaghy Road residents'. Forsythe described unionist anger at O'Neill's actions as 'immense' and called for her removal, writing that 'the overwhelming majority of Unionist people believe Michelle O'Neill should not be First Minister of Northern Ireland'.

DUP MLA joins calls for O'Neill's removal as first minister — Image: Evening Standard

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How it is being reported

DUP MLA joins calls for removal of Michelle O’Neill as Stormont First MinisterDiane Forsythe has aligned with DUP MP Carla Lockhart in urging her party to oust Ms O’Neill from office.Evening Standard · 27 Oct, 08:24
DUP MLA joins Lockhart's call for O'Neill's removal as first ministerDiane Forsythe backs Carla Lockhart and says there must be "profound consequences" for Sinn Féin.BBC News · 27 Oct, 00:00

In this story: Michelle O'Neill · Diane Forsythe · Carla Lockhart · Gavin Robinson · Emma Little-Pengelly · Sinn Féin · Democratic Unionist Party · Portadown

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