DUP MP says her party could help remove O'Neill as first minister over Drumcree row

The DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) share power with Sinn Féin in the Northern Ireland Executive, but Lockhart says it can no longer be business as usual.

"You can not continue to engage with someone who is so blatant in her disregard and disdain for a large section of this community," she said.

"Very clearly it cannot be business as usual at Stormont."

Lockhart says her party must take action against O'Neill.

"People want to see consequences, and we have said very clearly, profound consequence, and therefore we should use whatever is in our armoury to ensure that Michelle O'Neill, the person who really is supposed to be that first minister for all, as she claims, is dealt with in the appropriate way," she added.

The DUP could remove O'Neill from the first minister's position if the deputy first minister quits.

That role is held by Emma Little-Pengelly, but that seems unlikely.

Sinn Féin assembly member John O'Dowd rejected claims that the move to ban the parade went in favour of his party, saying "the decision went in the way of the residents" who he said have "faced an awful four weeks" since the application to walk was lodged.

O'Dowd, who is also finance minister in the executive, was one of a number of Sinn Féin politicians who joined a protest with residents on the Garvaghy Road.

On Thursday, the police said they had begun issuing letters inviting people "reasonably suspected" of committing offences linked to the protests to interview.

Speaking on BBC News NI's Sunday Politics programme, O'Dowd said: "I own my decision", adding that he thinks it was "the right thing to do".

"I got into politics to stand against the intimidation of communities such as the Garvaghy Road, who went through hell and high water over many, many years.

"I stood with the people of the Garvaghy Road. I will continue to stand with the people of Garvaghy Road because it was the right thing to do."

He added that he believes the community responded in "a peaceful, democratic way" to the decision to approve a march on 27 September.

"I would appeal, not only to Gavin, but maybe hopelessly to Carla and others, to calm their language and to show responsible leadership and calm leadership at this stage," he added.

"I don't think that continued demonisation or an attempt to criminalise the community of the Garvaghy Road is an appropriate way forward.