DUP leader Edwin Poots has expressed disappointment over Ryan McCready's decision to quit the party.
Mr McCready (35) was elected onto the Derry and Strabane council in 2019 and was seen as a rising star in the party.
The highly decorated Army veteran told the Belfast Telegraph he had been shocked at the brutal nature of Mrs Foster’s departure as DUP leader. “How she was treated was disgraceful, disrespectful and unacceptable," he said.
He described Mr Poots’ leadership as “regressive” and revealed that when he spoke to Mr Poots to tell him of his intention to leave the party that, "nothing that was said during the conversation led me to change my mind.”
“When I watched Ian Paisley chant ‘Robin Swann is very dangerous’ with Van Morrison, it reaffirmed my decision to leave. I have also felt the new DUP leadership’s tone has been wrong. It’s reminiscent of an eve of battle rousing of soldiers rather than what is needed to try to unite the party,” he said.
Mr McCready told the Belfast Telegraph that he will now sit as an independent.
When asked about his reaction to losing another DUP member, Mr Poots said: "Listen, I am disappointed by losing a single member of the party. I am disappointed to lose Ryan. I wish Ryan well in what he does. I think it is Ryan's intention not to stay in politics and that may have been part of his decision. Nonetheless I wish him well. I do know there is a big focus on the DUP losing some councillors. But I do know there has been very, very little focus from yourselves [BBC] and others on the losses that Sein Féin has had."
Mr McCready is the latest in a string of members to quit the DUP. Glyn Hanna and Kathryn Owen both resigned, along with other members in the South Down association. Roberta McNally, the party secretary in Upper Bann, is also to step down.
DUP deputy leader Paula Bradley last week denied a purge is being carried out against dissenting voices and also rejected allegations of bullying and sexism linked to the leadership contest that saw Mr Poots beat Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to be elected as the successor to the ousted Foster.
Asked by BBC Radio Ulster if he had spoken to Jeffrey Donaldon, Mr Poots confirmed he had. "Jeffrey and I have worked with each other for many years and it is our intention to be working with each other for many more years to come for the well-being of the union...I don't propose to be taking the party in a considerably different position to Jeffrey. That was never the issue of debate"
Asked why Ryan McCready and others are leaving, Mr Poots said: "That is a matter for individuals. Sometimes it's local issues and sometimes it is other issues in the mix here and we will just have to deal with that... We will continue to build. There are other people wishing to join the party...We are reaching out to others who had issues and those people are much more settled now.”
