Election candidate Philip Sutcliffe quits Independent Ireland after it condemned his association with Conor McGregor

Sutcliffe is a candidate in the Dublin South Central constituency

Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor (2nd left), with friends and family including Cllr Philip Sutcliffe Independent Ireland Candidate for Dublin South Central and McGregor's boxing coach (front), arriving at the High Court in Dublin on Friday. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor (2nd left), with friends and family including Cllr Philip Sutcliffe Independent Ireland Candidate for Dublin South Central and McGregor's boxing coach (front), arriving at the High Court in Dublin on Friday. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Independent Ireland general election candidate Cllr Philip Sutcliffe has quit the party, it has emerged.

Limerick TD Richard O’Donoghue, a co-founder of Independent Ireland, said there was a meeting of the party executive last night.

“Philip was approached. There was to be a further meeting today. Before the second meeting could take replace, Philip resigned from the party,” he said.

He said the reason was because “Philip does a lot of great work with people in boxing but we do not condone his association with Conor McGregor. It was also reported that he said he wanted to meet Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch, and we don’t stand for that either. We work for law and order.”

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Mr Sutcliffe is a candidate in the Dublin South Central constituency. He has been contacted for comment.

It is understood that Mr Sutcliffe will continue in politics as a non-party representative. It is expected he will continue his general election campaign and if elected will take up a seat in Dáil Éireann as a non-party TD.

Jennifer Bray

Jennifer Bray

Jennifer Bray is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times