Majority in North want Donaldson to resign as MP over sex charges

Eight out of 10 people in the North want Jeffrey Donaldson to resign as an MP as he faces historical sex abuse charges.

Women were more likely to want him to quit than men, and DUP voters were the least inclined to say he should go.

Mr Donaldson appeared in Newry Magistrates Court last month charg ed with 11 historical sex offences, which he denies.

He is facing one charge of rape, one of gross indecency involving a child, and nine counts of indecent assault.

He resigned as DUP leader on Good Friday after being questioned and charged by police.

However, he has stayed on as a Westminster MP for the constituency of Lagan Valley – a position he has held for 27 years.

In a LucidTalk opinion poll for the Belfast Telegraph, 81pc of people believe he should quit now, with 12pc saying he shouldn’t and 7pc unsure.

Women (88pc) were more keen than men (75pc) to see him go. A total of 98pc of Sinn Féin, 99pc of Green Party and 92pc of Alliance voters want him to resign as MP. That position was shared by 84pc of SDLP supporters.

Among unionists, TUV voters (78pc) feel most strongly that Mr Donaldson should stand down, followed by UUP supporters (66pc).

A majority of DUP voters (58pc) also believe he should resign, although 32pc think he shouldn’t and 10pc are unsure.

In his own Lagan Valley constituency, 71pc of people say he should quit as their MP, with 23pc saying he shouldn’t and 6pc unsure.

Older voters across Northern Ireland are more sympathetic to Mr Donaldson remaining in the job than younger ones. A total of 93pc of 18-24 year-olds, compared to 74pc of pensioners, believe he should resign.

Mr Donaldson now sits as an independent MP, although he hasn’t entered the parliamentary estate since he was charged.

DUP insiders were relieved that he didn’t step down from Westminster, forcing a by-election they feared they would lose to Alliance’s Sorcha Eastwood. Sources say that Mr Donaldson will not stand in the general election.

Two DUP councillors are continuing to work for him. Lisburn and Castlereagh councillor Thomas Beckett remains in employment as the MP’s office manager and personal assistant, while Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon councillor Paul Rankin is still a case worker for the MP.

In their paid employment roles for Mr Donaldson, both men work out of the DUP’s Lagan Valley constituency office in Castle Street.

The party’s MLAs — Emma Little-Pengelly and Paul Givan — also operate from the office.

The former DUP leader’s bail terms ban him from having any contact with children under 16.

The charges facing him span a 22year period. His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, denies two charges of child cruelty, one of aiding and abetting rape, and one of aiding and abetting an indecent assault on a female.

She is listed as being employed as her husband’s secretary in the MPs’ register of interests.

According to information published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, the staffing payroll costs claimed by the former DUP leader for the year 2022 to 2023 were £168,721.61 (€196,134). Ms Donaldson is listed as receiving a salary between £25,000 (€29,062) and £29,999.99 (€34,874) for being his full-time “senior secretary”.

The Lagan Valley MP is listed as having eight staff members, including two full-time senior secretaries and a part-time one, an office manager, two case workers, a parliamentary assistant and a policy assistant.