Jeffrey Donaldson’s resignation as chief of the Democratic Unionist Occasion comes after an nearly 40-year run in politics.
The DUP mentioned yesterday that Mr Donaldson had been charged with ‘allegations of a historic nature’ and that he can be stepping down as chief.
His exit from the position comes 26 years after he dramatically walked out of Northern Eire’s peace talks on Good Friday 1998.
The sudden resignation additionally occurred weeks after one of many different most important selections of his profession when he selected to deliver the DUP again to powersharing.
Mr Donaldson assumed management of the DUP throughout a turbulent time for the get together which noticed it boycott Northern Eire’s political establishments in protest over post-Brexit buying and selling preparations.
Jeffrey Donaldson’s resignation as chief of the Democratic Unionist Occasion comes after an nearly 40-year run in politics. Pictured: At Stormont on June 13, 2022
Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson (centre) and ex-Ulster Unionist Arlene Foster (proper) with the Rev Ian Paisley, chief of the Democratic Unionists, at Stormont on Monday, January 5, 2004
Jeffrey Donaldson arrives for a UUP council assembly in Belfast on Saturday, September 21, 2002
Unionists had lengthy protested towards necessities for checks on items travelling between Nice Britain and Northern Eire.
Believing that the UK authorities was not responding quick sufficient to his issues, Mr Donaldson collapsed the Stormont powersharing establishments in 2022.
After protracted negotiations, the get together agreed to return to Stormont in February following the settlement of a brand new deal on commerce preparations and a collection of measures aimed toward offering assurances round Northern Eire’s constitutional place inside the UK.
Nonetheless, the DUP’s dealings with the British authorities weren’t universally welcome and Mr Donaldson advised the Commons in January that he had been subjected to threats in the course of the negotiations.
Later, a PSNI spokesperson mentioned no offences have been detected following an investigation – whereas Mr Donaldson mentioned a call was made to not press costs.
He mentioned: ‘We should stand towards those that would search to bully with violent threats. I wasn’t intimidated out of politics 30 years in the past and I will not be intimidated in 2024.’
Mr Donaldson, who’s the longest-serving MP in Northern Eire, turned DUP chief in July 2021 following the resignation of Edwin Poots.
Born in Kilkeel in Co. Down, Mr Donaldson first joined the Ulster Unionist Occasion (UUP) at a younger age.
Jeffrey Donaldson outdoors Belfast Waterfront Corridor, Friday, November 26, 1999
DUP Chief Dr Ian Paisley (left) chats with Jeffrey Donaldson in the course of the launch of their election manifesto at Edenmore Golf and Nation Membership in April, 2005
DUP get together chief Sir Jeffrey Donaldson delivers a keynote speech at The Stormont Resort on July 1, 2021, in Belfast
Jeffrey M Donaldson speaks throughout Prime Minister’s Questions, on the Home of Commons on March 6, 2024
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (left) and Northern Eire Secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris (proper) communicate to the media on January 31, 2024, in Belfast
Boris Johnson, the MP for Henley, has a fast nap within the Home whereas Jeffrey Donaldson DUP, Lagan Valley, asks a query throughout Prime Minister’s Questions in 2007
The 61-year-old has beforehand spoken concerning the first time the Troubles affected his household – the homicide of his cousin Samuel Donaldson, an RUC constable who was the primary police officer to be blown up by the IRA within the battle.
It was this occasion that influenced Mr Donaldson’s resolution to enter political life.
On the age of 16, he adopted his household custom by changing into a member of the Orange Order, and later adopted within the footsteps of his late father Jim by becoming a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR).
He has described himself as a ‘proud royalist’ however has additionally spoken concerning the Irish ‘factor’ of his identification.
Lately speaking about his UDR cap, he mentioned: ‘I worth my Britishness as represented by the crown however I additionally worth the Irish factor of my identification as represented by the harp.
‘To be Northern Irish and British is under no circumstances a mutually unique factor.’
In 1985, aged 22, he was elected to the Northern Eire Meeting, changing into the youngest individual to win a seat at Stormont.
His relationship with former UUP chief David Trimble crumbled over the Good Friday Settlement.
The UTV Election Debate on Might 1, 2022, (left to proper) with DUP Chief Jeffrey Donaldson, Sinn Fein’s Vice-President Michelle O’Neill, Alliance Occasion chief Naomi Lengthy, SDLP Chief Colum Eastwood and Ulster Unionist Occasion (UUP) Chief Doug Beattie, with UTV presenter Marc Mallett (proper)
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP Chief of the DUP and Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O’Neill forward of a gathering at Erskine Home, Belfast, in an try and resolve points at Stormont
DUP Chief Arlene Foster, alongside Deputy Chief Nigel Dodds (left) and Chief Whip Jeffrey Donaldson, speaks outdoors 10 Downing Road on June 26, 2017
Mr Donaldson, who had been a senior member of the Ulster Unionists’ negotiating delegation, led a walkout of the 1998 peace talks after opposing the early launch of republican and loyalist prisoners.
He, and Arlene Foster, left the get together and joined the DUP in January 2004.
In 2009, Mr Donaldson apologised for claiming for pay-to-view movies on his parliamentary bills throughout resort stays.
He denied the movies have been grownup in nature and repaid the £555 whereas saying he was mistaken to submit the claims.
He was recognised by the late Queen Elizabeth in her 2016 birthday honours and was given a knighthood
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s shock withdrawal leaves the way forward for Northern Irish powersharing doubtful, writes DAVID YOUNG
BY DAVID YOUNG FOR THE IRISH DAILY MAIL
The deal that restored powersharing in Northern Eire hinged on the backing of Jeffrey Donaldson and the shock resignation of the DUP chief is bound to immediate questions over the way forward for the association.
A lot will depend upon who finally replaces him.
East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson, who has stepped as much as develop into interim chief, has been a long-time ally of Mr Donaldson and a agency backer of the return to Stormont.
Mr Robinson can be an early favorite to develop into the everlasting successor and his elevation can be unlikely to immediate a change within the get together’s latest enthusiastic backing for the devolved establishments.
Nonetheless, his election as chief isn’t a foregone conclusion and it stays to be seen if different candidates, probably extra sceptical of the return to powersharing, will emerge.
Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson arrives for the assembly of the Ulster Unionist Council in Belfast on September 21, 2002
Democratic Unionist get together chief Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (proper) chats with a stall proprietor as he canvasses for votes on the Holywood Might Honest on Might 2, 2022 ,in Belfast
The identification of the brand new chief might have ramifications for DUP deputy first minister Emma Little‑Pengelly as she was very a lot a Donaldson decide because the get together’s nominee to collectively lead the Stormont coalition.
Ms Little-Pengelly and Sinn Féin first minister Michelle O’Neill have acquired important reward for his or her management of the administration since taking cost of the resurrected Government in February.
Query marks may also now grasp over the DUP’s grip on the Lagan Valley parliamentary constituency, given the potential of an imminent by-election.
Mr Donaldson’s majority was considerably minimize within the final normal election amid a surge by the cross-community Alliance Occasion, and the DUP will seemingly face a troublesome struggle to carry the seat at any time when voters subsequent go to the polls.
Appointed chief of the DUP in the summertime of 2021, Mr Donaldson made the decision early the next yr to withdraw then DUP first minister Paul Givan from the Stormont Government, thus collapsing the powersharing administration, as a part of the get together’s protest technique towards post-Brexit financial boundaries on commerce between Britain and Northern Eire.
A DUP assertion revealed Sir Jeffrey has been instantly changed as chief by fellow MP Gavin Robinson
Jeffrey Donaldson as a new junior minister in his workplace at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, in 2008
Nearly two years later, after protracted negotiations with the Northern Eire Workplace and Downing Road, he signed as much as a British authorities package deal of proposals, outlined in its Strengthening the Union command paper, that have been aimed toward decreasing purple tape on Irish Sea commerce and offering assurances over Northern Eire’s place in the UK.
He championed the get together’s return to the Government and Meeting on the again of the deal, hailing what he mentioned have been important concessions.
Mr Donaldson insisted a big majority of the get together supported his resolution to finish the Stormont boycott, and up to date opinion polling suggests a majority of DUP voters are additionally supportive of the return to devolution.
Nonetheless, a big minority of DUP elected representatives stay against the deal, insisting it doesn’t go far sufficient to take away the contentious so-called ‘Irish Sea border’, and a number of other senior figures have been vocal in articulating their criticism.
Former DUP deputy chief Nigel Dodds, get together chairman Maurice Morrow, and East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson are amongst those that have made no secret of their opposition.
It’s going to develop into obvious within the days and weeks forward whether or not Mr Donaldson’s resignation, and the way of it, injects recent momentum to these inside and out of doors the get together campaigning towards the return of powersharing, or whether or not it’ll proceed to be enterprise as regular at Stormont when a brand new chief takes the helm.
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