Pressure is mounting on DUP leader Gavin Robinson after another senior party figure publicly backed calls for Michelle O’Neill to be removed as Northern Ireland’s First Minister.
South Down MLA Diane Forsythe has joined Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart in demanding stronger action following the controversy surrounding the Drumcree parading dispute.
The intervention comes just days after Lockhart resigned from the DUP’s party officer board over disagreements with the leadership’s handling of the situation.
With Assembly elections scheduled for May 2027, the growing disagreement raises questions about unity within Northern Ireland’s largest unionist party.
WHAT HAS DIANE FORSYTHE SAID?
Forsythe, who is also a member of the DUP’s party officer team, publicly supported Lockhart in a Facebook statement on Monday evening.
She criticised Sinn Féin’s handling of the Drumcree controversy and argued that commitments made by unionist politicians must be followed through.
Forsythe said the DUP had promised serious political consequences and that those promises must be honoured.
She made clear that she believes Michelle O’Neill should be removed from office.
Forsythe also argued that the Assembly and other government departments could continue operating until the next election.
As a minimum response, she called for official First Minister engagements through the joint Executive Office to stop if stronger action was not taken.
Her intervention is politically significant because criticism of the leadership’s approach is now coming from both a Westminster MP and a sitting Stormont MLA.
CARLA LOCKHART’S RESIGNATION
Last Thursday, 22 October, Carla Lockhart resigned from the DUP’s party officer board.
She had served on the internal decision-making body for approximately five years.
Lockhart believes the DUP should withdraw Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly from the Executive.
Under Northern Ireland’s power-sharing arrangements, the resignation of either the First Minister or deputy First Minister means both cease to hold office.
This would therefore force Michelle O’Neill from her formal position as First Minister.
However, Lockhart has not resigned from the DUP itself and remains the party’s MP for Upper Bann.
Her decision exposed a significant disagreement over how far the party should go in responding to the Drumcree controversy.
Forsythe’s latest intervention suggests that Lockhart is not alone in questioning the current strategy.
GAVIN ROBINSON TAKES A DIFFERENT APPROACH
DUP leader Gavin Robinson has defended the party’s decision not to withdraw Emma Little-Pengelly.
Robinson argues that destabilising Stormont could harm ordinary people across Northern Ireland rather than punish those responsible for any wrongdoing.
He has also warned that collapsing the institutions could strengthen Sinn Féin politically.
In a recent message to DUP members, Robinson urged unionists to consider the longer-term consequences of their decisions.
He has maintained that the DUP reached its position through internal democratic discussions and that further options remain under consideration.
Robinson also expressed disappointment at Lockhart’s resignation from the officer board while stressing that she remains a valued member of the party.
The disagreement therefore centres on a difficult political question:
Should the DUP take immediate action against Michelle O’Neill, even if that creates instability at Stormont, or maintain the institutions while pursuing other consequences?
WHAT STARTED THE CONTROVERSY?
The dispute follows Michelle O’Neill’s attendance at demonstrations on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown during September.
Protesters opposed a Parades Commission decision permitting a restricted Orange Order procession along the predominantly nationalist road.
The procession did not take place as originally permitted, and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant subsequently prohibited the parade following police advice about the potential for serious disorder.
Unionist politicians have accused Sinn Féin representatives of supporting an unlawful protest.
Michelle O’Neill has defended her attendance and maintains that she was standing alongside Garvaghy Road residents.
On 21 October, O’Neill and Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald attended voluntary police interviews as part of the investigation into the demonstrations.
It is important to stress that being interviewed by police does not establish criminal wrongdoing.
THE ASSEMBLY HAS ALREADY VOTED
On 12 October, an attempt to exclude Michelle O’Neill from office was defeated in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The recorded vote was:
- 34 MLAs supported the motion.
- 36 MLAs opposed it.
- No nationalist-designated MLAs supported the motion.
The proposal failed because it did not secure the cross-community support required.
Significantly, both Diane Forsythe and Emma Little-Pengelly voted in favour of the proposal.
This highlights an important distinction within the DUP.
The disagreement is not necessarily about whether Michelle O’Neill should face political consequences.
It is about whether the party should use its own power-sharing position to force her from office.
WOULD REMOVING O’NEILL COLLAPSE STORMONT?
Not necessarily.
Under Northern Ireland’s current legislation, the resignation of the deputy First Minister would also bring the First Minister’s tenure to an end.
However, the Assembly would not automatically be dissolved.
Other departmental ministers could continue operating under arrangements that allow government departments to function temporarily without the two joint officeholders.
There would nevertheless be significant restrictions and difficulties, particularly for decisions requiring joint First Minister and deputy First Minister approval.
That means both sides of the DUP argument have important practical considerations.
Forsythe and Lockhart believe stronger action can be taken without immediately ending the Assembly.
Robinson is concerned about the wider political and governmental consequences of such a move.
COULD THIS BECOME A BIGGER PROBLEM FOR THE DUP?
The timing of the disagreement is particularly important.
Northern Ireland is approaching its next Assembly election in May 2027.
The DUP faces competition from the Ulster Unionist Party and Traditional Unionist Voice, both of which will be seeking to increase their representation at Stormont.
The party therefore faces competing political pressures.
- Taking stronger action could appeal to unionist voters who believe the DUP has not delivered on its promises.
- Maintaining Stormont could appeal to voters who prioritise stable government and public services.
- Continuing internal disagreements could damage the DUP’s attempts to present a united message ahead of the election.
The danger for Robinson is that the party could lose support whichever direction it chooses.
However, there is currently no confirmed wider rebellion against his leadership.
Neither Lockhart nor Forsythe has announced an intention to leave the DUP.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
There are several developments worth watching closely.
- Will more DUP MLAs publicly back Lockhart and Forsythe?
- Will Gavin Robinson introduce tougher measures to address internal concerns?
- Could the disagreement lead to further resignations from party positions?
- Will the police investigation influence the DUP’s next decision?
- Could the dispute become an issue in the 2027 Assembly election campaign?
For now, Robinson remains DUP leader, and the party continues to participate in Northern Ireland’s power-sharing Executive.
However, the public disagreement has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
A GROWING TEST FOR THE DUP LEADERSHIP
The Drumcree controversy has developed into something much bigger than a dispute between the DUP and Sinn Féin.
It has exposed competing views within the DUP about political accountability, power-sharing and how unionism should respond when serious consequences have been promised.
Carla Lockhart has already resigned from an influential internal party position.
Diane Forsythe has now publicly supported her demand for stronger action.
Gavin Robinson, meanwhile, is attempting to balance political pressure from within his party against the risks of destabilising Stormont.
The question now is whether these disagreements can be contained or whether more DUP representatives will break ranks in the weeks ahead.
With the next Assembly election approaching, how Robinson manages this dispute could have consequences not only for his leadership but also for the DUP’s electoral prospects.
ENDS