Jeffrey Donaldson quits as DUP chief in bombshell for Northern Ireland

The Unionist party announced that Donaldson's dismissal was immediate due to being charged by the police.

According to an announcement made by the DUP in written form, Jeffrey Donaldson has stepped down from his position as the leader of the party without any delays. | Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

On March 29th, 2024 at 3:02 pm Central European Time.

The Democratic Unionist Party leader, Jeffrey Donaldson, stepped down on Friday due to charges of sexual offenses brought against him by the police. This sudden turn of events could have serious political implications and potentially disrupt the newly-revived government of Northern Ireland.

On Thursday, Donaldson who is 61 years old got arrested and charged that same night. According to a written statement issued to POLITICO by the police, the charges leveled against him were related to "non-recent sexual offenses," but no further details were given.

The DUP put out a statement stating that Donaldson had resigned from his position as party leader without hesitation, putting an end to his almost three-year leadership of Northern Ireland’s chief pro-British party. They shared that Donaldson had admitted to the accusations made against him in a letter to the party chairman.

The temporary leader of the DUP is now Gavin Robinson, who is also the Deputy Leader and MP for East Belfast. His appointment might trigger a leadership contest, which would reignite divisions within the party regarding the re-establishment of a power-sharing government with Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland.

Late on Friday, Robinson expressed to members of the press his surprise at the criminal accusations against Donaldson. He stressed that it is crucial for the DUP to remain concentrated on effectively running Northern Ireland.

Just a month ago, Donaldson successfully resolved the internal opposition and reinstated the cross-community government at Stormont. This occurred after a two-year shutdown due to protests against the post-Brexit trade regulations for Northern Ireland.

He made sure that his selected candidate, Emma Little-Pengelly, was appointed as the deputy first minister of the DUP in the renewed government, working alongside the Sinn Féin's first minister, Michelle O'Neill.

O'Neill mentioned that Sinn Féin strongly believes that the Northern Ireland Executive consisting of four parties should continue to provide the necessary leadership and fulfil the public's expectations and needs. This should happen, irrespective of what unfolds with regard to Donaldson, as he doesn't have any direct affiliation with the governing body at Stormont.

The leader of the DUP has stepped down following accusations of grave misconduct," remarked O'Neill. "Now, it's up to the legal system to handle this situation."

Donaldson has refused to give any comments regarding the cancellation of his scheduled meetings in Northern Ireland. According to sources, he has traveled to London and is currently staying at his apartment there.

Most experienced members of the DUP were not answering their mobile phones following a sudden meeting of the party's emergency board, which did not include Donaldson.

A politician from the DUP, who wishes to remain anonymous to freely express opinions on the party's current situation, revealed to POLITICO that he is unsure if the party will remain in governance at this point in time.

The lawmaker stated that the outcome would rely on who takes on the role of the long-term leader. Robinson and Donaldson share a strong relationship, and Robinson was a big supporter of the decision to return to Stormont in February. However, there are some in our group who would prefer to go backward in the procedure. They are in the minority, but this event may give them renewed determination.

Before the DUP revealed their decision on Friday, Donaldson's social media accounts vanished from public access during the night.

In a peculiar turn of events, it was observed that Donaldson's name had been erased from the party's website. Surprisingly, he was not even mentioned among the eight members of parliament at Westminster, although he is still occupying the same position.

The gathering affirmed that Donaldson's enrollment in DUP has been put on hold, expecting the judgment of the legal case.

He has an appointment to show up at the courthouse located in the border town of Newry, Northern Ireland on April 24. During this time, additional information about the accusations against him will likely be revealed.

Donaldson, who has held the position of MP for Lagan Valley in the southwest of Belfast since 1997, has been avoiding the confirmation of his re-election as a Member of Parliament in recent times. It was widely speculated that he would be given a Conservative appointment to the House of Lords, which would allow him to pass on the opportunity to retain his Commons seat to Little-Pengelly, who had already taken his place in the Northern Ireland Assembly seat. However, things seem to have changed now.

The two main unionist parties in Northern Ireland had completely different opinions about the surprising news.

The chief of Ulster Unionist Party, Doug Beattie, is an advocate of the pro-British stance and he expressed his apprehension regarding the situation of Donaldson's arrest and legal accusations. He mentioned that the investigation is a matter of public interest, however, it is not appropriate to make any further remarks as it has turned into a criminal investigation.

Despite this, the uncompromising Traditional Unionist Voice leader, Jim Allister, continues to spearhead an anti-Donaldson drive in an attempt to further divide the DUP and compel them to turn away from power-sharing once again.

Allister stated that the DUP, with its fresh leadership, should decline the agreement that Donaldson arranged with the U.K. government prior to obtaining the majority support of the DUP to return to Stormont. This arrangement provided guarantees that Northern Ireland's position within the U.K. would not be weakened by the requirement to persist in enforcing EU regulations on British goods entering Northern Irish ports.

Allister expressed in a statement that the Donaldson Deal had already caused a rift within unionism. He believes that unionism must have a moment of release and rid themselves of the mistake of accepting an Irish Sea border and being governed by EU regulations.

This tale has been revised.