Orangeman reference move 'naive'

Don MacKay did not ask his referees for permission

An Orangeman who left the Parades Commission following a controversy over his application form has said he may have been "politically naive".

Don MacKay resigned from the body on Tuesday after it emerged he had listed two politicians as references without asking their permission.

Both DUP MP David Simpson and SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly said they would not have supplied Mr MacKay with a reference.

Mr MacKay said the experience had left him with a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I did clearly indicate on my form that I wished to be consulted prior to the referees being taken up, that was never done," he told BBC Radio Ulster.

"If it had have been done, I had every intention of going to my two referees and say that I had given their names.

"However, in hindsight and because of the political implications of the job I was applying for, maybe I was a wee bit politically naive.

"I should have perhaps went to see them first and all this nonsense would have ceased."

The government-appointed Parades Commission was set up in 1997 to make decisions on whether controversial parades should be restricted.