A sometimes stormy career spanning the last 40 years
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SIR Jeffrey Donaldson’s resignation as leader of the DUP brings a 40-year political career to a shocking and sudden end.
The DUP said yesterday he had been charged with alleged “historical sex offences” and would be stepping down as leader.
The shock move comes just weeks after one of the other most significant decisions of his career when he led the party back to power-sharing.
Speaking to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the deal which led to a restoration of devolution in February, Donaldson said: “The Union is more secure as a result of our combined endeavours and together we have greatly enhanced the potential to build a strong and prosperous economy that will help to cement our peace in Northern Ireland.”
However, the DUP’S dealings with Government were not universally welcome.
Donaldson told the Commons in January that he had been subjected to threats during the negotiations. Later, a PSNI spokesperson said no offences were detected following an investigation, while he said a decision was made not to press charges.
He added: “We must stand against those who would seek to bully with violent threats.
“I wasn’t intimidated out of politics 30 years ago and I won’t be intimidated in 2024.”
Donaldson, who is the longest-serving MP in Northern Ireland, became DUP leader in July 2021 following the resignation of
Edwin
Poots.
He had originally put his name forward to become leader after
Arlene Foster was ousted after internal plots, but was narrowly defeated by Mr Poots in the DUP’S first leadership election months earlier.
Born in Kilkeel, Co Down, Donaldson
The Union is more secure as a result of our combined endeavours DONALDSON SPEAKING AFTER STORMONT RETURN
joined the Ulster Unionist Party at a young age.
The 61-yearold has previously spoken about the first time the Troubles affected his family when his cousin – RUC constable Samuel Donaldson – was murdered.
He was the first police officer to be blown up by the IRA in the conflict.
It was this event that influenced his decision to enter political life.
At 16, he followed his family tradition by becoming a member of the Orange Order and later followed in the footsteps of his late father Jim by joining the Ulster Defence Regiment.
Donaldson has described himself as a “proud royalist” but has also spoken about the Irish “element” of his identity.
He said: “I value my Britishness as represented by the Crown but I also value the Irish element of my identity as represented by the harp.
“To be Northern Irish and British is not at all a mutually exclusive thing.”
In 1985, aged 22, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly, becoming the youngest person to win a seat at Stormont.
But his relationship with former UUP leader David Trimble began to crumble in the lead up to the Good Friday Agreement.
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 release of republican and loyalist prisoners. Alongside Mrs Foster, the
pair had been part of a tightly-knit group dubbed the “baby barristers” who opposed the Good Friday Agreement, the release of paramilitary prisoners and the direction in which Mr Trimble was taking the party.
Hours before the historic accord was struck, the Lagan Valley MP left Castle Buildings at Stormont.
Last year, he insisted he harboured “no regrets” about the decision, adding: “What I have done is dedicate my career and my political involvement in the last 25 years to fixing the bits that haven’t worked, to getting solutions to the bits that weren’t properly addressed in 1998, and I continue in that endeavour.”
He, and Mrs Foster, left the party and joined the DUP in January 2004.
In 2009, Donaldson apologised for claiming for pay-to-view films on his parliamentary expenses during hotel stays.
He denied the films were adult in nature and repaid the €648 while saying he was wrong to submit the claims.
Donaldson was recognised in the 2016 UK Birthday Honours and was awarded a knighthood.
We must stand against those who would seek to bully DONALDSON ADDRESSES PARLIAMENT THIS YEAR