https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68379153

Sammy Wilson has quit as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) chief whip at Westminster.

Sources within the party confirmed that the East Antrim MP stepped down from the role this week.

It is understood that he still remains as a party officer.

It is not clear why Mr Wilson has quit the job as chief whip, but he has been strongly opposed to the deal agreed by his party and the government to restore the power sharing.

Mr Wilson was not available for comment.

He was the first DUP MP to openly attack the deal his leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, negotiated.

But he was careful in the House of Commons not to aim any fire at the DUP leader.

Instead he accused the government of being “spineless” in refusing to stand up to the EU.

Swipe against the leadership
The East Antrim MP then teamed up with his party colleagues Lord Dodds and Lord Morrow to criticise the deal in an article in the News Letter.

Again, there was no criticism of the party leader.

But now Mr Wilson has moved beyond words and is taking a stand by quitting as the DUP’s chief whip at Westminster.

It is a swipe against the party leadership but it will come as no surprise to Sir Jeffrey.

The fact Mr Wilson stopped short of resigning as a party officer and remains as a DUP MP will not be lost on the leadership.

Mr Wilson’s move today is likely to deepen the rift in the party and could trigger other resignations within the DUP.

BBC News NI has approached the DUP for comment.

by LoveLaughLarne

16 comments

  1. Reminder for those that need to hear it: when the UDA proposed ethnically cleansing Northern Ireland of Catholics in 1994, Sammy called it a ‘welcome return to common sense’

  3. I’m thinking this is the start of them announcing they’ll step down at the GE. Too many MPs from the paisleyite wing of the party rep us at WM.

  4. Could possibly be that he’s been told to sit down and toe the line. Considering his vocal stance on the framework, it may have been a choice of standing down as whip or getting fired

  6. Maybe he’ll return to teaching. When he left Grosvenor he said he’d be back in 6 months, he was going to bring down Stormont. That was 1998.

  10. Have to have a good look around for the fucks I could give.

  11. So he hasn’t actually quit anything … Just the usual refusal to undertake any responsibility yet he and they still get paid.

    Doesn’t want to work… Typical DUP. Make yourself a victim, then get paid to not ever do anything except complain.

    I actually am beyond exhausted hearing about or knowing these parasites exist.

    Why can’t we force all DUP and frankly any other politicians to repay their salaries and expenditure for the duration of Stormont collapse? It’s utterly disgusting that we are forced to pay this mans rich wage, just fuck off… Fuck the whole way off DUP

  12. Why does Sammy just not defect to the TUV? He’s the same as Jim.

  15. Based upon the few snippets I’ve seen of him speaking in Westminster…

    He doesn’t seem a particularly eloquent or effective speaker – possessed of a capacity to convey points in a fashion that would invite more than fleeting feigned interest or support..

    It’ll be interesting to find out who his party are planning to replace him with.

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