An Ulster Unionist councillor who withdrew from the race to be selected as the party's general election candidate in North Down has said he did so because of blackmail threats.
On Wednesday evening, Mr Leslie Cree told delegates at a selection meeting in Bangor that he was withdrawing his name.
He said he had received a letter threatening to reveal that he had fathered an illegitimate child 36 years ago.
Mr Cree was given a standing ovation when he announced he was withdrawing. After Mr Cree, seen as being pro-Belfast Agreement, withdrew, the other pro-agreement candidate, Lady Sylvia Hermon, won by 112 votes to 29, defeating the Rev Eric Culbertson, an anti-agreement Orange chaplain.
It was the second time the UUP's North Down selection convention has been affected by controversy. Mr Peter Weir, the previous candidate, was deselected by the constituency association after being suspended from membership of the party for failing to obey its whip in the Assembly.
Lady Hermon will be challenging the sitting MP and UK Unionist Party leader, Mr Bob McCartney. In 1997 he won with a 1,449 majority over his Ulster Unionist rival. Mr Stephen Farry of the Alliance Party and the SDLP's Ms Marietta Farrell are also contesting the seat.
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, has predicted that the forthcoming elections will prove a watershed for unionism. Launching the party's election campaign in Belfast, Dr Paisley said unionist voters would soon have the opportunity to pass judgment on the Belfast Agreement - a "surrender process" to republicans.
The DUP will field 14 Westminster candidates. Almost 190 DUP candidates will contest seats on the 26 local councils. The party will launch its manifesto next week.