Lockhart’s resignation and the disagreement
Carla Lockhart has stepped down as a Democratic Unionist Party officer, leaving the small committee involved in decisions about the party’s direction and strategy. In a statement, she said she could not remain on the team while having concerns about those discussions.
The disagreement centred on whether the DUP should withdraw Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly from the power-sharing Executive. Lockhart argued for removing Little-Pengelly after First Minister Michelle O’Neill took part in a protest on Garvaghy Road in Portadown. Lockhart said removing Little-Pengelly would also remove O’Neill from the joint office they lead; this was her stated argument.
Lockhart’s position was that the party should no longer serve alongside O’Neill. She had said the DUP should take action over the protest and that it could not be “business as usual” at Stormont. She has represented Upper Bann as an MP since 2019 and said her focus would remain on the constituency.
The party’s decision and public responses
DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the party had discussed its options and reached an agreed position not to remove Little-Pengelly from the Executive. He said he was sorry Lockhart had left the officer role, described her as a key part of the team and said he hoped she would not leave the party altogether.
Asked about Robinson’s leadership, Lockhart did not directly endorse him. She said: “I have confidence that the unionist people want action.” Robinson said Lockhart still had a valuable contribution to make to the DUP.
Police investigation into the Portadown protest
The PSNI is investigating an unnotified protest on Garvaghy Road, held on the day the Orange Order parade was due to proceed from nearby Drumcree Church. Police said interview invitations had been sent to people reasonably suspected of committing offences; the investigation does not establish that any individual committed an offence.
Michelle O’Neill and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald attended interviews at Musgrave PSNI station in Belfast in connection with the protest. The gathering had been staged as part of efforts to prevent the parade from travelling along Garvaghy Road.
The parade decision and stand-off
The Parades Commission allowed the Orange Order parade to proceed along Garvaghy Road for the first time in almost 30 years. That decision was followed by a two-week stand-off at the site, a longstanding flashpoint during the Troubles.
The procession did not take place after significant numbers of protesters gathered on the road. Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant subsequently overturned the commission’s decision and banned the parade. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher had said there would be consequences for people found to have broken the law.