Updated / Friday, 29 Mar 2024 13:20
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has stepped down with immediate effect after being charged with “allegations of an historical nature,” which are alleged to include rape and other sexual crimes and offences.
“In accordance with the Party Rules, the Party Officers have suspended Mr Donaldson from membership, pending the outcome of a judicial process,” the DUP said in a statement this afternoon.
Current deputy leader Gavin Robinson has been appointed interim leader.
Mr Donaldson has been the MP for Lagan Valley since 1997 and became DUP leader in 2021, following the resignation of Edwin Poots, who faced an internal party revolt over his decision to proceed with nominating a new First Minister.
His leadership saw him steer the party’s two-year boycott of Northern Ireland’s political institutions in protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements.
After protracted negotiations, the DUP agreed to return to Stormont in February following the agreement of a new deal and a series assurances around Northern Ireland’s constitutional position within the UK.
His career started with the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and in 1985, aged 22, he was the youngest person to be elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The 61-year-old’s relationship with former UUP leader David Trimble deteriorated when he led a walkout of the 1998 peace talks after opposing the early release of republican and loyalist prisoners.
He left the party and joined the DUP in January 2004.
He was recognised by the late Queen Elizabeth in her 2016 Birthday Honours and was given a knighthood.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has stepped down as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party with immediate effect after he was charged with historical sexual offences.
In a statement, the DUP said: “The party chairman has received a letter from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP confirming that he has been charged with allegations of an historical nature and indicating that he is stepping down as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party with immediate effect.
“In accordance with the party rules, the party officers have suspended Mr Donaldson from membership, pending the outcome of a judicial process.
“The party officers have this morning unanimously appointed Mr Gavin Robinson MP as the interim party leader.”
Donaldson has led the party since 2021, but has been the MP for Lagan Valley since 1997.
Prior to joining the DUP, he was part of the Ulster Unionist Party’s delegation to negotiate the Good Friday Peace agreement.
A PSNI spokesman said: “Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland arrested and charged a 61-year-old man for non-recent sexual offences.
“A 57-year-old woman was also arrested and charged at the time for aiding and abetting additional offences.”
Both are due to appear before Newry Magistrates’ Court on 24 April.
No lover of the Democratic Unionists and their political sentiments. But none of us can say what Sir Jeffrey Donaldson did or did not do.
What we can say in relation to these historical allegations is that they appear to have all the hallmarks of a politically timed attack. And as we know real or imagined, politically time attacks facilitated by the security services, the police and the prosecution services are absolutely the way that the British state operates.
If Sir Jeffrey has done wrong then hell mend him. And if he hasn’t then the case has ruined his career and reputation.
And that’s it. Truly we know not of the machinations that go on.