Councillor Garbhán McPhilips has left the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and will continue the rest of his term as an independent.
The Erne East councillor on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council replaced his father Richie McPhilips in 2016 and was re-elected in the 2023 local elections.
Speaking to The Impartial Reporter, McPhilips said “the party atmosphere locally in recent years has become very toxic.”
“Over the years, there have been issues with the party and decisions made that I totally didn’t agree with. Even the direction that the party is going, and has gone, really doesn’t stack up with my core values and beliefs, which are really important to me,” he said.
“The party atmosphere locally in recent years has become very toxic. It was not a nice environment to work in, and that played a major part in the decision.
“There are not just one or two issues; there have been several over the years. Even the lack of support. It has been virtually non-existent over the years, and that was another factor,” he added.
The SDLP party conference is this Saturday – but McPhilips denied that it had any impact on his decision to step away from the party.
He did have praise for SDLP leader Claire Hanna, but said “things are not good in the party up and down the North.”
An SDLP spokesman said: “We acknowledge the decision by Councillor McPhillips and wish him the best for the future. The SDLP’s focus is on working with councillors committed to delivering for their local communities.”
