Third councillor defects from DUP
Another DUP councillor has defected from the party – the third in 24 hours.
Former Belfast High Sheriff Jim Kirkpatrick has left to join the Ulster Unionists, accusing senior DUP members of caring more about dynasty building and expense claims than their voters.
He also claimed party leader Peter Robinson had failed Northern Ireland business hit by the recession.
The switch came 48 hours before the European elections and a day after two other councillors announced they were leaving the DUP.
Dungannon representative Harry Greenaway also joined the UUP while Ballymena member Deirdre Nelson left for the Conservative Party on Monday night.
It is not the first occasion Mr Kirkpatrick has changed his political allegiances, having already had two stints as an Ulster Unionist in between two periods with the DUP.
Dynasty
The well known business man said he decided to leave after a discussion with the First Minister about the economy.
“I came away with the distinct impression that he neither cares about nor understands the nature and scale of the problems facing the manufacturing industry and small businesses across Northern Ireland,” he said.
“There is an urgent need for an innovative economic strategy for Northern Ireland and I don’t believe that the DUP has such a strategy.”
He added: “I also believe that the DUP has lost touch with what was once its core vote, particularly in estates and rural areas.
“The hierarchy of the party seems more concerned with dynasty building and expense claims than with tackling the socio-economic agenda.”
Chameleon
Mr Kirkpatrick’s former colleague on the DUP benches in Belfast council, Robin Newton said: “Jim is a political chameleon”.
“In the space of a few years he has been an Ulster Unionist member several times whilst in between he has flirted with a range of parties. This continued serial party jumping is laughable.”
He also asked why Mr Kirkpatrick had backed the DUP candidate in Monday night’s vote for Belfast’s new mayor.
“Jim attended a DUP Group meeting last night and expressed no concern whatsoever about the party’s direction,” he said.
“Indeed, quiet the opposite. At the main Council meeting he actually voted for a DUP Lord Mayor and voted against an Ulster Unionist Deputy Mayor.”
Mr Kirkpatrick said he was now endorsing European election candidate Jim Nicholson – who is standing on the joint UUP Conservative ticket.
Meanwhile former DUP Limavady councillor Leslie Cubitt has said he was also backing Mr Nicholson.
