FORMER DUP Mayor of Derry Maurice Devenney has now joined the Ulster Unionist Party.
He had been suspended by the DUP over allegations he had canvassed for votes outside a Waterside polling station for the SDLP’s Mark Durkan in last May’s Westminster election.
Mr Devenney strenuously denied the claims.
Nut before the outcome of an internal DUP disciplinary hearing, Mr Deveeney announced he was resigning.
Supporters said he had planned to run again as an MLA for the DUP but that went to Gary Middleont.
They claimed that the party’s Belfast leadership had imposed the decision on the local constituency association, a claim denied by the DUP.
Today, Mr Devenney confirmed he has joined the UUP – just 24 hours after he announced at a council meeting that he was now an independent councillor.
He said the decision followed “intense discussion within the broader unionist family” and “prayerful discussion.”
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