The DUP today withdrew its support for Derry’s bid to become the Irish City of Culture in 2018.

Last November, all parties back a Sinn Fein proposal for the bid to go forward.

At the time, the DUP's Maurice Devenny that politics played no part in the bid and all communities would be included.

However, speaking at today’s monthly meeting of the council, Alderman Devenny withdrew his party’s support, claiming that the award ‘catered for 26 counties’.

Sinn Fein councillor Barney O’Hagan said the DUP’s stance was a ‘deviation’ from their original position.

The Irish government has said it had no plans at the moment to run the initiative on an all-island basis.

Derry has just completed a highly-successful year as the UK City of Culture (above) in 2013.

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