Jeffrey Donaldson resigns as DUP leader after being charged with 'historical allegations'
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has resigned as DUP leader after being charged with historical sex offences.
Gavin Robinson has been appointed interim party leader.
The DUP confirmed his departure shortly before 1pm.
It came hours after the PSNI confirmed a 61-year-old man had been charged with “non-recent sexual offences”.
A 57-year-old woman has also been charged with aiding and abetting additional offences.
Both are due in court next month.
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."
There had been mounting speculation about Mr Donaldson’s future on Friday morning with reports of an unscheduled DUP party officers’ meeting.
His social media accounts had also disappeared overnight.
It is further understood that Mr Donaldson also withdrew from a number of scheduled appearances at late notice yesterday.
Pictures of Mr Donaldson have been removed from the DUP website.
Earlier, a PSNI spokesperson 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 April 24.
"As is usual procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.”
The shock announcement comes just weeks after Sir Jeffrey made the decision to bring the party back to power-sharing at Stormont.
Mr Donaldson, who has been DUP leader since 2021, has been MP for Lagan Valley since 1997.
It is unclear if he will stand aside as MP, potentially triggering a by-election.
A spokesperson for the House of Commons said: “We are aware of the announcement by the police, but will not be commenting on individual cases.”
Mr Donaldson’s leadership saw him steer the party's two-year boycott of the 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 United Kingdom.
Mr Donaldson, who has had an almost 40-year career in politics, became DUP leader in July 2021.
His career started with the Ulster Unionist Party and in 1985, aged 22, he was the youngest person to be elected to the Assembly.
Mr Donaldson’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.
Mr Donaldson was recognised by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in her 2016 Birthday Honours and was given a knighthood.
The interim leader, Mr Robinson, served as the lord mayor of Belfast from June 2012 until June 2013.
He was elected as MP for East Belfast in 2015 and has since been re-elected in 2017 and 2019. He was elected as the deputy leader of the DUP last June.
The DUP and Mr Donaldson have been approached for a response.
More to follow...
