'Our views were not acceptable': Foster

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Arlene Foster has said she felt she had to leave the Ulster Unionists because the leadership had made it clear that the mandate on which she and others stood during the election was not acceptable to them.

She said: “I believe the DUP is now the mainstream unionist party in Northern Ireland. That is why I have joined the DUP.

“There is no fight left in the UUP. Time and time again when issues were raised, the answer which came back to us was 'it is not our issue, it is not our fault, it is someone else’s fault’.”

Lagan Valley MLA Norah Beare said, as a member of the Ulster Unionists for 35 years, she found the decision to quit “extremely difficult”.

She said: “I feel we are seeing the demise of the Ulster Unionist Party. I believe by joining the DUP we can create a better agreement.”

Nationalist SDLP negotiator Sean Farren claimed the defection of the three MLAs to the DUP merely confirmed what many had believed.

“What we have seen is a consolidation of views and people who have always been anti-Agreement,” the North Antrim Assembly member observed.

Mr Farren insisted that what was now needed was a renewal of the Good Friday Agreement.

“What we want to see is all the aspects of the Agreement fully implemented.”