A Sinn Fein assembly member who was de-selected as an assembly election candidate before Christmas has resigned from the party.
Davy Hyland said he is still deciding whether to run as an independent in the forthcoming election.
Mr Hyland, who represented Newry and Armagh, said he was saddened at being "de-selected by text".
"I leave Sinn Fein secure in the knowledge that I have remained true to my republican principles," he said.
He said that there was disquiet locally about the policing issue and said there should be more debate and consultation with the community.
"You need a full, frank and open discussion on this matter because it has massive implications for everyone on this island," he said.
He said that he had received a lot of support since the de-selection and would gauge opinion in the constituency before he decided if he would run as an independent candidate.
The week before Mr Hyland was de-selected, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams met PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde against a backdrop of growing pressure on republicans to support the police as part of the deal to restore devolution.
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