Dodds couple leaves city council

DUP's Diane and Nigel Dodds are standing down as councillors

The DUP has announced that Nigel Dodds and Diane Dodds will be standing down as Belfast city councillors on Friday.

A spokesman for the constituency association said the move "is acting on our party's promise to tackle head-on the issue of multiple mandates".

Mr Dodds is an outgoing MP for North Belfast and an assembly member. Mrs Dodds is an MEP.

The party expressed its "sincere appreciation" to both councillors for their work on Belfast City Council.

The DUP also said that "in keeping with the party's policy that Stormont ministers should stand down from council, Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Nelson McCausland will also stand down as a city councillor later".

In March, DUP leader Peter Robinson said that any DUP assembly members who are elected to Westminster will give up their Stormont seats, with the exception of the party leader.