In a statement to the BBC, following what he described as troubling scenes within the party over the previous 24 hours, DeanBourne said he no longer felt the political environment aligned with the standards he believes government should uphold.
“Throughout my time in Parliament, I have always believed that any government must maintain the confidence of the public,” he said. He added that recent events within the Cavaliers had done little to rebuild that confidence, stating: “That is not the kind of politics I want to be part of.”
DeanBourne had only recently returned to the party, saying at the time that he hoped the Unionist–Greggs merger would represent a “fresh start.” However, in his latest statement he said that expectation had not been realised. “Sadly, that has not been the case. For that reason, I believe the right decision for me is to step away from the party,” he wrote.
The MP also reflected on his seven years of involvement in the political community, acknowledging that mistakes have been made by many over that time and noting he does not claim to have all the answers. Despite stepping away, he suggested several areas where the party could improve, including strengthening its public presentation, holding more parliamentary surgeries, rebuilding relationships with other parties, and involving members more actively in discussions and events.
Full Statement from DeanBourne
“Throughout my time in Parliament, I have always believed that any government must maintain the confidence of the public. Over the past 24 hours, I have witnessed scenes within the Cavaliers that, in my view, do little to rebuild that trust and confidence. That is not the kind of politics I want to be part of.
12 days ago, I made the decision to rejoin the Cavaliers in the hope that the Unionist–Greggs merger would represent a fresh start for the party. Sadly, that has not been the case. For that reason, I believe the right decision for me is to step away from the party.
I have been part of this community, on and off, for 7 years now, and during that time I have seen many mistakes. I’m not claiming to have all the answers, because I certainly do not. However, I do believe the party should focus on improving its presentation, holding more parliamentary surgeries, rebuilding relationships with other political parties, and involving its members more actively in events and discussions.”