In the North Ken Maginnis has quit the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) after controversial comments made during a radio debate earlier this year.

He has been a member of the party for for 50 years.

Mr. Maginnis announced his decision to resign after the party whip was withdrawn because of comments he made about gay marriage.

The leadership distanced themselves when he said it was ‘unnatural and deviant behaviour’.

The 74-year-old from Dungannon says he has agonised over the last 3 months.

He claims there is no room for independent or logical thinking within the party.

Watch archive footage below of an exchange between Mr. Maginnis and Gerry Adams:

width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/nz7qhXeaKIU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

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