THE Ulster Unionist Mayor of Derry, Alderman Richard Dallas, said yesterday that Derry's annual civic showpiece, the Mayor's Parade, had fallen victim to the continuing row between him and the nationalist controlled city council.
Mr Dallas made the claim after the parade's joint working team of councillors and council officers together with the Junior Chamber, announced its decision to cancel next month's parade.
A joint statement from the council and Junior Chamber said they had unanimously recommended the cancellation following a fall off in participants and sponsors.
It is understood that potential business sponsors might have withdrawn sponsorship if the parade had been headed by the SDLP deputy mayor, Mr Martin Bradley, instead of the mayor.
There were also reports that loyalists had plans drawn up to disrupt the parade if it had gone ahead in the absence of the mayor.
Mr Dallas said he was "bitterly disappointed that the parade has been axed and that the Junior Chamber, are blameless in this. Basically the parade has fallen victim to the council's penalties imposed on me following my participation in a roadblock on Craigavon Bridge last summer.
"The decision to cancel it will certainly be perceived within the unionist community as being part of the controversy between the council and myself," he said.