Patsy Kelly loses SDLP party whip

The SDLP has removed the party whip from Derry/Strabane Cllr Patsy Kelly.
The partys disciplinary committee made the decision in repsonse to remarks made by Mr Kelly on social media during this months election count.
An investigation was launched earlier this month after Cllr Patsy Kelly broke ranks to voice support for Pat Doherty during the Westminster election count.
The Strabane SDLP Cllr took to Facebook on the night of the election count to declare his backing for the Sinn Fein candidate.
Writing publicly on his Facebook page, Cllr Kelly said that he was backing Sinn Feins Pat Doherty, but remained 200% an SDLP member.
This afternoon the SDLP press office confirmed that after an internal investigation the party whip will be withdrawn from Cllr Patsy Kelly for a period of four weeks.
When Highland Radio News contacted Cllr Kelly this afternoon he claimed he had no knowledge of this.
In the past Patsy Kelly has said publicly that there has been a campaign within the Strabane branch of the SDLP trying to force him out of the party.