Northern Ireland MEP Jim Allister resigns from DUP

Jim Allister, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Northern Ireland, resigned because of his party's decision to enter into a power-sharing Government with Sinn Féin. Mr Allister said that party colleagues had been "lured by office" and that he had not returned to politics in 2004 to "help ease Sinn Féin into Government". He acknowledged that although he had fought within the DUP against Sinn Féin being permitted to be members of the Stormont Assembly Executive, he had failed to persuade the vast majority of the party's ruling executive on the issue. Yesterday, Ian Paisley, DUP leader, and Gerry Adams, Sinn Féin President, agreed to enter into a power sharing executive in May. This is the second time that Jim Allister has resigned from the DUP over disagreements with Ian Paisley entering pacts with other political parties.