Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, 61, and a 57-year-old woman were both arrested and charged and are due to appear in court later this month. The dramatic development prompted Sir Jeffrey, Northern Ireland’s longest-serving MP, to step down as leader with immediate effect and he was suspended from the DUP membership pending the outcome of the judicial process.
Gavin Robinson, 39, was swiftly appointed interim DUP leader after taking on the deputy leadership role in June last year. Sir Jeffrey’s suspension could have huge implications for British and Irish politics at a time when the republican party Sinn Fein, which wants a united Ireland, is seeing support surge.
Power-sharing between the DUP and Sinn Fein was only restored at Stormont in February this year after a 24-month hiatus and, depending on the outcome of the criminal process, the DUP could face a credible challenge for Sir Jeffrey’s Lagan Valley seat in the forthcoming general election.
Mr Robinson is expected to maintain the DUP’s participation in the power-sharing deal and keep the devolved government up and running. But Sir Jeffrey’s resignation yesterday also adds to the instability of the DUP and means the party now has its third leader since Arlene Foster quit following an internal revolt in 2021.
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