DUP leaders scramble to replace Poots and stem chaos engulfing party

THE hierarchy of the DUP is hoping to move quickly to replace resigning leader Edwin Poots in an effort to stem the chaos engulfing the party.

The DUP is looking for a new leader only three weeks after Mr Poots was formally installed in the top job of the largest party in Northern Ireland.

The Lagan Valley MLA tendered his resignation on Thursday evening after simmering concerns over his faltering leadership escalated into a full-blown internal revolt.

The dramatic development was prompted by his decision to press ahead with reconstituting Stormont’s powersharing executive alongside Sinn Fein, despite a significant majority of his MPS and MLAS being vociferously opposed to the move.

At a heated three-hour crisis meeting of party officers at DUP headquarters in Belfast on Thursday evening, Mr Poots was presented with little alternative other than to end his brief but tumultuous tenure as leader.

The DUP’S Westminster leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who narrowly lost out to Mr Poots in last month’s leadership contest, is the overwhelming favourite to succeed him.

The ousting of former leader Arlene Foster in April – in a coup instigated by supporters of Mr Poots – laid bare deep internal divisions within the once rigidly-disciplined party.

Those wounds were further exposed during last month’s bruising leadership campaign – the first in the party’s history – and they continue to fester.

Mindful of the need to return some degree of stability to the listing party, the DUP hierarchy is keen to address the leadership issue swiftly.

“We need to move quickly,” one senor figure said.

While Lagan Valley MP Sir

Jeffrey has yet to formally declare an interest, and it remains to be seen whether any of his colleagues will consider a run, many within the DUP are hoping to avoid another potentially divisive contest, instead preferring the next leader to be appointed unopposed.

Anger at a UK Government pledge to grant Sinn Fein a key concession on Irish language laws was behind the internal opposition to Mr Poots’s decision to nominate a First Minister to lead the administration alongside the republican party.

The departure of Mr Poots has now plunged powersharing back into uncertainty, only 24 hours after

First Minister Paul Givan and Sinn Fein deputy First Minister Michelle O’neill assumed office together.

Serious question marks now hang over the future of Mr Givan, who has long been closely aligned with his constituency colleague Mr Poots.

The 39-year-old remains as First Minister for the time being but it would appear unlikely that a new DUP leader would ultimately pass up the chance of making his own appointment to the position.

Yesterday Ms O’neill said she remained committed to working with Mr Givan for as long as he remained in the role.