North: Party chairman resigns over gay marriage row

The chairman of Northern Ireland’s Alliance Party has resigned following a row over so-called gay marriages, it emerged today.

Trevor Lunn stood down after opposing the use of Lisburn City Council’s wedding suite for civil partnership registrations.

He said: “This has made it difficult for me to chair an organisation that’s been highly critical of me. I thought the Alliance Party was a broader church than that.”

Mr Lunn, who sits on Lisburn Council, and his two party colleagues on the authority, Seamus Close and Betty Campbell, went against Alliance policy on the issue.

Their bid to stop the wedding room being used was thwarted when the council overturned its policy after consulting lawyers.

The Civil Partnership Act will allow same-sex couples to sign documents providing them with many of the same rights as men and women who marry.

Even though he stressed his support for gay partnerships, Mr Lunn insisted the difference of opinion was too significant for him to continue as chairman.

But along with Ms Campbell, who has quit the party executive, he will remain an Alliance member.

The 59-year-old insurance broker, who has been a member of the cross-community party for 12 years, told leader David Ford of his decision in a letter.

His resignation comes just months before he was due to complete his two-year tenure as chairman.

“The party has managed to make a major issue out of something trivial,” he said.

“We have a wedding suite and as a council we decided to keep that room for weddings and not allow civil partnership registrations there.

“But things have moved on, and the council have now decided it cannot sustain that position on legal advice.

“Since June the party has been highly critical of Lisburn Council. Two weeks ago I decided enough was enough.

“How can I chair an organisation hinting at disciplinary action against me?”

An Alliance Party spokesman refused to comment, saying: “We are dealing with this matter internally.”