'Unhappy' DUP councillors defect

Two of Peter Robinson's DUP councillors have defected.

Two DUP councillors have defected because they "are unhappy with the direction taken by their party".

Dungannon councillor Harry Greenaway said he had joined the UUP because he was disillusioned and believed the DUP "had been less than honest with the electorate".

Ballymena councillor Deirdre Nelson said she was leaving the DUP to join the Conservative Party.

She said she was unhappy with her party since the departure of Ian Paisley Snr.

Councillor Nelson was elected four years ago.

Earlier this year she put her name forward for the party's European candidacy, but lost out to Diane Dodds.

In the statement explaining her decision to join the Conservatives she said she backed the party's efforts to steer Northern Ireland away from sectarian politics.

The DUP hit back describing her as "a reject and an opportunist", claiming her move was a rare occurrence of someone joining a sinking ship.

The DUP's Lord Morrow described the defection of councillor Greenaway as disappointing and claimed the party had been reviewing his position on Dungannon council due to what he called Mr Greenaway's "minimal input."

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