Sinn Fein councillor and 17 activists quit party in north Antrim

Details of the party members’ resignations were revealed in a statement to the Ballymena Guardian.

The members, who are all from the area, said the resignations were a reaction to the treatment received by former MLA Mr McKay who earlier this month resigned over claims he “coached” a blogger to give evidence to a Stormont inquiry.

He said he accepted his actions were “inappropriate, ill-advised and wrong”, but had denied that his intention had been to “coach” the witness – loyalist Jamie Vryson – over his testimony.

More to follow.