SIR Jeffrey Donaldson is stepping down leader of the Democratic Unionist Party after being charged with historical sex offences.
The MP, 61, was suspended from the party today pending the outcome of a criminal investigation.
PASir Jeffrey Donaldson has stepped down as DUP party leader[/caption]
It comes after 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 in connection with the alleged offences.
The pair were both held on Thursday and are due to appear at Newry Magistrates’ Court on April 24.
In a statement 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.”
Sir Jeffrey’s social media accounts, including X, were deleted overnight.
The MP is the longest-serving in Northern Ireland after he was first elected in 1997.
His career started with the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) but his relationship with former leader David Trimble broke down when he led a walkout of the 1998 peace talks.
He became leader of the DUP in July 2021 after first joining in 2004.
Before working in politics, Sir Jeffrey followed his family by becoming a member of the Orange Order, and later followed in the footsteps of his late dad Jim by joining the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR).
He spoke out about how the Troubles affected his family after his cousin Samuel Donaldson became the first police officer to be blown up by the IRA in the conflict.
Sir Jeffrey was recognised by the Queen in her 2016 Birthday Honours and was given a knighthood.
How Sir Jeffrey rose to prominence
Sir Jeffrey kicked off his 40-year political career as a constituency agent for the South Down MP Enoch Powell in the mid-1980s.
He went on to work as a personal assistant to the former Ulster Unionist Party leader James Molyneaux.
In 1997, after Mr Molyneaux retired, he succeeded him to take the Lagan Valley seat.
In 2003, amid his opposition to the Good Friday Agreement and the leadership of David Trimble, he left the UUP and signed up with the DUP alongside Arlene Foster.
Sir Jeffrey was appointed to the Privy Council, an advisory body to the Royal Family, in 2007.
His leadership saw him steer the party’s two-year boycott of Northern Ireland’s political institutions in protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements.
The shock announcement comes just weeks after he made the decision to bring the party back to powersharing in Northern Ireland.
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 UK.
PacemakerDonaldson has led the party since 2021[/caption]
PAHe was part of the Ulster Unionist Party’s delegation to negotiate the Good Friday Peace agreement[/caption]
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