POLITICAL CHAOS | 

Jeffrey Donaldson staying in London after being charged with sex offences

Donaldson quit as DUP leader but, in his resignation letter, said he would be strenuously denying the allegations against him.

Jeffrey Donaldson steps down amid allegations of historical sex abuse

Suzanne Breen

Today at 09:23

The DUP is in turmoil in the wake of Jeffrey Donaldson’s bombshell resignation after being charged with historical sex offences.

The 61-year-old politician is set to appear in court in Newry on April 24, having been arrested and charged in relation to non-recent sexual allegations.

A 57-year-old woman has been charged with aiding and abetting additional offences in relation to the same police investigation.

Mr Donaldson was suspended from the DUP and the Orange Order pending the outcome of the judicial process.

He quit as DUP leader but, in his resignation letter, said he would be strenuously denying the allegations against him.

He did not step down as Lagan Valley MP and now effectively remains in the House of Commons as an independent. The DUP has no means of making him resign from Westminster.

A Stormont source said Mr Donaldson’s resignation had brought significant instability to Stormont.

The DUP said it had received a letter from Mr Donaldson saying he had been charged with allegations of a historical nature and that he would be stepping down as leader.

In a statement on Friday, the DUP said: “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.”

Mr Robinson said: “It has been a devastating revelation and has caused tremendous shock not just for myself personally or my colleagues within the DUP, but for the community right across Northern Ireland.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “My priority is to continue to provide the leadership the public expect and deserve, and to ensure the four-party Executive coalition delivers for the whole of our community now and in the future.

“The DUP leader has resigned after being charged with serious offences.- This is now a matter for the criminal justice system.”

UUP leader Doug Beattie said: “The leadership of the DUP is a matter for the DUP. Although the circumstances are of concern and in the public interest, we are mindful that this is now a criminal investigation and it would not be proper to comment further.

“In all matters of this nature, we must first and foremost consider the victims and what impact media and public attention will have on them.”

TUV leader Jim Allister said: “Jeffrey Donaldson’s departure in these very inauspicious and concerning circumstances, after he has done the damage of surrendering his party to the Protocol, has very wide ramifications for unionism.

“Like any individual, he must be afforded the protection of innocent until proven guilty. It must not be forgotten there is a family at the heart of this matter.”