DUP Councillor: Poots was ousted for ignoring party colleagues

A local DUP councillor has said that former party leader Edwin Poots had to quit after leaving colleagues out of Irish language discussions.

Mr Poots stood down after just 21 days in charge on Thursday evening, June 17.

At this time it is unclear whether newly appointed First Minister, Paul Givan, will remain in post or if there will be ministerial changes once a new leader is selected.

The Derry News spoke to DUP Aldermen Maurice Devenney and Alderman Hilary McClintock who were not willing to say who they support as next leader.

Both councillors said it is ‘above my pay grade’ and for more senior members to decide.

DUP group leader on Derry City & Strabane District Council, Hilary McClintock, explained that people will have to put their name forward and the party will make a decision on it.

Asked why she believed Edwin Poots had to resign after just three weeks in the role, Alderman McClintock added: “It would seem that the biggest issue was that Edwin said he was going to listen to his colleagues and at the first opportunity, unfortunately, he didn’t listen to them.

“I think that is the crux of the matter and parties have to make decisions.”

A deal was agreed with the UK government to legislate for Irish language laws, as agreed in New Decade, New Approach, if Stormont does not.

A perceived concession over Irish language legislation has been a bone of contention for DUP representatives.

At a meeting on June 17 they voted overwhelming against nominating a First Minister because they wanted to Mr Poots to explain the basis of the agreement.

MP Sammy Wilson said the British government ‘must not interfere in devolved issues at the behest of Sinn Fein’.

However, it’s reported that Mr Poots went ahead and nominated Paul Givan as First Minister against their express wishes.

Alderman McClintock said: “I think the issue is that the party didn’t have time to discuss it. 

“The decision was only made somewhere between midnight and 1am and the party didn’t have a chance to sit down and discuss it.

“If they’d had an opportunity I don’t know where that conversation would have went but at least they would have had an opportunity to air their views on it.”

She concluded by saying DUP representatives in Derry will invite the new leader and ministers to the city to the North West to ‘look at various issues’ but didn’t specify what those are.