Jim, a long-serving councillor, twice High Sheriff of Belfast and praised on the DUP website for "his record of hard work and achievement as a Belfast City councillor" explaining his decision:
"I had a long conversation with Peter Robinson a couple of weeks ago about the economic problems facing Northern Ireland. 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.
We are at the beginning of an economic down turn where recovery in the manufacturing sector is doubtful since several countries in Europe, with lower wage levels, are better able to attract that economic recovery when it comes.
"This isn't about weathering just another recession where we think that everything will get better of its own accord. 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.
"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.
"I have been impressed by the efforts of the Ulster Unionist Party to build a new pan-UK unionism and I have also been impressed by David Cameron's efforts to tackle issues which have either been ignored or messed up by the Labour government.
"I am happy to endorse Jim Nicholson on June 4 and will be resigning from the DUP with immediate effect."
An Independent Councillor Leslie Cubitt from Limavady Council, a former DUP Councillor has also given his support for Jim Nicholson on June 4:
"I fully endorse Jim Nicholson and I would urge everyone in the pro-Union community to give him their Number 1 preference on June 4.
"Jim has a wonderful record of hard work and achievement in the European Parliament and has been a great friend of the agricultural industry and small business in his time as an MEP. He is easily the most experienced of the candidates."
Very good news indeed less than 48 hours before the polls. Also the reasons given in particular by Kirkpatrick for resigning from the DUP should, at the very least, get DUP voters thinking very carefully where their party is leading both them and more importantly Northern Ireland.
Got to say as well very good media management of this news, especially in the run-up to Thursday.
3 comments:
First a trickle, now a flood?
I find it hard to believe that all these people would be joining the UUP and the Conservatives if they felt that Nicholson wasn't going to get elected!
Why do some people find it so hard to spell her name?
Deirdre - it seems to get mis-spelt by 50% of unionists (Nats have more Irish and know how to spell Irish names ... usually)
In my case it's carelessness, now corrected!
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