Alex Easton: DUP MLA quits hours after Donaldson ratified as leader

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA Alex Easton has announced his decision to quit the party after 21 years.

The North Down politician said he was at the "end of his tether" and saw no "respect, discipline or decency" in the DUP's recent behaviour.

His announcement came just hours after the DUP met to ratify Sir Jeffrey Donaldson as its new leader.

Sir Jeffrey said on Thursday that he hoped Mr Easton would "find his way back to this party".

Mr Easton said he intended to stand as an independent unionist in the next Stormont assembly election.

Several councillors have left the party since its former leader Arlene Foster announced her resignation as leader and as Northern Ireland first minister after an internal revolt.

"It is with great sadness and hurt that I find myself doing one of the hardest things in my life and resigning from the Democratic Unionist Party," Mr Easton said in a statement first made to the County Down Spectator and the Belfast Telegraph newspapers.

"I have had to stand back and watch as colleagues tear themselves apart... there is no respect, discipline or decency I have just had enough," Mr Easton said in his statement.

"This is not something that I want to be a part of as a unionist and it is not Alex Easton.

"I am at the end of my tether with U-turns, and reaction politics and not proactive."

Sir Jeffrey said he intended to speak to Mr Easton.

He said he had already spoken to other councillors who had decided to become independent and believed some would return to the DUP.

"The future of unionism cannot be built upon a fragmented movement," said Sir Jeffrey after his first speech as party leader.

"It has to be built on a unity and I hope Alex will find a way to be part of that team,"

Mr Easton said he understood his decision may annoy and upset some people but said that some of his time in the party had been "extremely lonely".

"Unionism is in my heart and soul and it is ultimately why I am in politics," he said.

"I crave unity for the unionist community and I am not getting this from any of the unionist parties or their leaders at present."

DUP MP Sammy Wilson said he had spoken to Mr Easton and knew "how unhappy he was".

Speaking to BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme, Mr Wilson said he was sure the new party leader would "reach out to [Mr Easton] as he has done to others to try and heal the breaches in the party."

"We have gone through a very torrid time in the party, one which I think we all regret," he said.

"I think Jeffrey will help heal some of those rifts."