Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has resigned as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party after being charged with historical sexual offences. The party has suspended him from membership and appointed Mr Gavin Robinson as interim leader. Donaldson has been the MP for Lagan Valley since 1997 and played a significant role in the confidence and supply agreement with Theresa May\'s government. He became the party leader in Westminster in 2019. The charges against Donaldson are related to non-recent sex offences, with both him and a woman due to appear in court on 24 April.
Sir Jeffrey Mark Donaldson (born 7 December 1962) is a British politician who served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 2021 to 2024 and leader of the DUP in the UK House of Commons from 2019 to 2024. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lagan Valley since 1997.Donaldson was a member of the Orange Order and served in the Ulster Defence Regiment during the Troubles. He was also the campaign manager for the UUP MP Enoch Powell's successful re-election campaigns in 1983 and 1986. He was the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) candidate for Lagan Valley at the 1997 general election, and was elected as an MP to the House of Commons. He simultaneously represented the same constituency as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2003 to 2010. Donaldson is known for his opposition to UUP leader David Trimble's support of the Good Friday Agreement during the Northern Ireland peace process, especially from 1998 to 2003. In 2003, Donaldson resigned from the UUP, becoming a member of the DUP in the following year.Donaldson served in the Northern Ireland Executive from 2008 to 2009 as a Junior Minister for First Minister Peter Robinson. After Nigel Dodds lost his seat at the 2019 general election, Donaldson became the DUP Westminster leader. He was a candidate in the May 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election, losing to Edwin Poots. After Poots resigned the following month, Donaldson was elected unopposed to succeed Poots in the June DUP leadership election; he was confirmed in the post by the party's ruling executive on 30 June. He was once again elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the 2022 Assembly election, but he subsequently chose to remain as a Westminster MP and not take up his seat.In March 2024, he stepped down as leader of the DUP having been charged with historical sexual offences, triggering a leadership election. The party also suspended his membership.
This is a list of Democratic Unionist Party MPs. It includes all members of Parliament elected to the British House of Commons representing the Democratic Unionist Party. Members of the European Parliament or the Northern Ireland Assembly are not listed.1 Defected from the Ulster Unionist Party.2 Defected from the Conservative Party, sitting as an Independent Conservative between 2002 and 20043 Originally elected for the Protestant Unionist Party in 1970.4 Expelled from the DUP in 2010 and sat briefly as an independent.
Lagan Valley is a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party until his resignation in March 2024. The constituency has always returned unionist MPs.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is a unionist, loyalist, British nationalist and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who led the party for the next 37 years. It is currently led by Gavin Robinson, who is stepping in as an interim after the resignation of Jeffrey Donaldson. It is the second largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and is the fifth-largest party in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The party has been described as centre-right to right-wing and socially conservative, being anti-abortion and opposing same-sex marriage. The DUP sees itself as defending Britishness and Ulster Protestant culture against Irish nationalism and republicanism. It is also Eurosceptic and supported Brexit.The DUP evolved from the Protestant Unionist Party and has historically strong links to the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, the church Paisley founded. During the Troubles, the DUP opposed sharing power with Irish nationalists or republicans as a means of resolving the conflict, and likewise rejected attempts to involve the Republic of Ireland in Northern Irish affairs. It campaigned against the Sunningdale Agreement of 1973, the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, and the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. In the 1980s, the DUP was involved in setting up the loyalist paramilitary movements Third Force and Ulster Resistance, the latter of which helped smuggle a large shipment of weapons into Northern Ireland.For most of the DUP's history, the Ulster Unionist Party was the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland; however, by 2004, the DUP had overtaken the UUP in terms of seats in both the Northern Ireland Assembly and the UK House of Commons. In 2006, the DUP co-signed the St Andrews Agreement and the following year agreed to enter into power-sharing devolved government with Sinn Féin, who agreed to support the Police Service, courts, and rule of law. Paisley became joint First Minister of Northern Ireland. However, the DUP's only Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Jim Allister, and seven DUP councillors left the party in protest, founding the Traditional Unionist Voice. Paisley was succeeded as DUP leader and First Minister by Peter Robinson (2008–2015), then by Arlene Foster (2015–2021). After Foster was ousted, Edwin Poots briefly became leader and nominated Paul Givan as First Minister, but was himself forced to step down after three weeks. In June 2021, he was succeeded by Jeffrey Donaldson. In protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol, Givan resigned as First Minister in February 2022, collapsing the Northern Ireland Executive. On 30 January 2024, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson announced that the DUP had agreed a deal with the UK government that resulted in power-sharing being restored.
Edwin Poots (born 27 April 1965) is a British politician from Northern Ireland, serving as Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly since February 2024. He served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from May to June 2021. He was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in 1998. As of 2023, Poots was the DUP's Spokesperson for Institutional Reform and Hard to Reach Communities.In 2007, First Minister Ian Paisley appointed Poots to the Northern Ireland Executive as Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure. Poots left office after Peter Robinson became First Minister in 2008. In 2009, Poots returned to the Executive as Minister of the Environment, before being promoted to Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in 2011. He was removed as Health Minister in 2014. In January 2020, he was reappointed to the Executive by First Minister Arlene Foster as Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs, a position that he held until October 2022.After Foster resigned as DUP leader in 2021, Poots was elected as her successor, defeating Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. However, less than three weeks later, on 17 June, following controversy over his decision to nominate Paul Givan to be First Minister, Poots announced that he had requested a new leadership contest and that he would remain in post until a successor was appointed. Donaldson succeeded Poots on 30 June 2021.Following the death of his friend Christopher Stalford, it was announced on 7 March 2022 that Poots would be co-opted to fill the Belfast South Assembly seat, and run in the 2022 Assembly election, leaving a vacancy in Lagan Valley.In February 2024, Poots was elected as the 7th Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Rhys ab Owen, a South Wales Central MS in the Senedd, is facing a 42-day ban for inappropriately touching two women and using inappropriate language towards them on a night out. Plaid Cymru MP Ben Lake criticized the lack of a recall petition like in Westminster for such cases. The standards committee recommended the suspension, but there is no provision for a petition in the Welsh Parliament. Mr. ab Owen denies the allegations but has apologized for his behavior.
The Democratic Unionist Party is a Northern Irish political party.Democratic Unionist Party may also refer to:Arabic Democratic Unionist Party, a Syrian political partyDemocratic Unionist Party (Sudan), a Sudanese political partySocialist Democratic Unionist Party, a Mauritanian political party
Emma Little-Pengelly (née Little; born 31 December 1979) is a Northern Irish barrister and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician serving as the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland since February 2024. She has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Lagan Valley since May 2022, when she was co-opted (appointed) to replace DUP party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who declined to take up his seat following the 2022 election.She previously served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Belfast South constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 2017 until 2019, when she lost her seat to Claire Hanna of the SDLP, and as an MLA for the Belfast South constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded as the Ulster Unionist Council in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the Irish Home Rule movement. Following the partition of Ireland, it was the governing party of Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972. It was supported by most unionist voters throughout the conflict known as the Troubles, during which time it was often referred to as the Official Unionist Party (OUP).Under David Trimble, the party helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which ended the conflict. Trimble served as the first First Minister of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2002. However, it was overtaken as the largest unionist party in 2003 by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). As of 2022 it is the fourth-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly, after Sinn Féin, the DUP and the Alliance Party. The party has been unrepresented in Westminster since losing its two seats in 2017. Since 2021 the party has been led by Doug Beattie.Between 1905 and 1972, its peers and MPs took the Conservative Party whip at Westminster, in effect functioning as the Northern Irish branch of the party. This arrangement came to an end in 1972 over disagreements over the Sunningdale Agreement. The two parties have remained institutionally separate ever since, with the exception of the 2009 to 2012 Ulster Conservatives and Unionists electoral alliance. The first-ever membership survey of the UUP, published in January 2019, suggested that 67% of its members were supportive of the Conservative Party.
The ongoing Tory leadership crisis is anticipated to continue until the May local elections, with expectations of dismal results leading to further internal strife. Speculations arise over Rishi Sunak\'s fate if the party faces significant defeats, reminiscent of Theresa May\'s ousting post-2019 local elections. Divisions within parties are believed to hamper election success, while unity around unpopular policies is deemed futile in winning over voters.
Businessman Mohamed Mansour, senior treasurer for the Conservative Party, receives a knighthood, along with MPs Mark Spencer and Philip Davies. Former ministers Tracey Crouch and Harriett Baldwin are also honoured. Labour criticises the decision, while Liberal Democrats accuse Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of being out of touch for awarding honours to party donors. Democratic Unionist Party MP Gregory Campbell is made a CBE. Mansour, who donated 5m to the Tories last year, is recognised for business, charity, and political service. The honours system is questioned amidst opposition calls to return Mansour\'s donation.
The second May ministry was formed on 11 June 2017 after Theresa May returned to office following the June 2017 snap general election. The election resulted in a hung parliament with the Conservative Party losing its governing majority in the House of Commons. On 9 June 2017, May announced her intention to form a Conservative minority government, reliant on the confidence and supply of the Democratic Unionist Party; a finalised agreement between the two parties was signed and published on 26 June 2017.May announced on 24 May 2019 that she would resign as Leader of the Conservative Party on 7 June. She remained in office as caretaker prime minister during the resulting Conservative Party leadership election, before officially resigning on 24 July, after which she was succeeded as Prime Minister by Boris Johnson.
The fall-out to the Budget fall, Donald Trump at Super Tuesday and whether Westminster is paying enough attention to your local councils financial woes; all are up for discussion in this week\'s episode of Electoral Dysfunction. Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, Labour\'s Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips and former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, look at the political figures who\'ve got on top this week - and where there\'s a total dysfunction. Email Beth, Ruth, and Jess at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444. Listen above then tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts Warning: some explicit language.
Josh Donaldson, a former American League MVP, retired at the age of 38 after a 13-year career, during which he played for multiple teams and had notable achievements, including winning the 2015 AL MVP, hitting 279 home runs, and being selected to three All-Star Games. Donaldson\'s career spanned from 2010 to 2023, and he played for teams such as Oakland, Toronto, Atlanta, Minnesota, New York, and Milwaukee. He announced his retirement on a podcast hosted by Sean Casey, expressing gratitude for his career and the opportunity to spend time with his family.
Theresa Mary, Lady May (; née Brasier; born 1 October 1956), is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. She previously served as Home Secretary from 2010 to 2016. She has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Maidenhead since 1997. May is the second female UK prime minister, after Margaret Thatcher, and the first woman to hold two of the Great Offices of State. Ideologically, May is a one-nation conservative.May grew up in Oxfordshire and attended St Hugh's College, Oxford. After graduating in 1977, she worked at the Bank of England and the Association for Payment Clearing Services. She also served as a councillor for Durnsford in Merton. After two unsuccessful attempts to be elected to the House of Commons, she was elected as the MP for Maidenhead at the 1997 general election. From 1999 to 2010, May held several roles in shadow cabinets. She was Chair of the Conservative Party from July 2002 to November 2003.Following the formation of the coalition government after the 2010 general election, May was appointed Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, giving up the latter role in 2012. Reappointed after the Conservative success at the 2015 general election, she became the longest-serving Home Secretary in over 60 years. During her tenure she pursued reform of the Police Federation, implemented a harder line on drugs policy, including banning khat, and further restricted immigration. She oversaw the introduction of elected police and crime commissioners, the deportation of Abu Qatada and the creation of the College of Policing and the National Crime Agency.May supported the unsuccessful Britain Stronger in Europe campaign for the UK to remain in the European Union (EU). She stood in the Conservative Party leadership election to succeed Cameron, who resigned on the outcome of the 2016 referendum; she was elected and appointed prime minister after Andrea Leadsom withdrew from the contest. She began the process of withdrawing the UK from the EU, triggering Article 50 in March 2017. In April she announced a snap general election, with the aims of strengthening her hand in Brexit negotiations and highlighting her "strong and stable" leadership. This resulted in a hung parliament with the number of Conservative seats reduced to 317 (from 330), despite the highest vote share since 1983 and the largest increase in electoral support enjoyed by a governing party since 1832. The loss of an overall majority prompted her to enter a confidence and supply arrangement with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of Northern Ireland to support a minority government.Following the 2017 election, May's premiership continued to be dominated by Brexit, in particular by her government's negotiations with the EU, adhering to the Chequers plan, which led to a draft Brexit withdrawal agreement. May survived two votes of no confidence in December 2018 and January 2019, but after versions of her draft withdrawal agreement were rejected by Parliament three times and her party's poor performance in the local and European elections in May 2019, she announced her resignation later that month. She left office on 24 July and was succeeded by Boris Johnson, her former foreign secretary. May remains in the House of Commons as a backbencher.Other events that occurred during May's premiership included terrorist attacks in Westminster, the Manchester Arena and London Bridge, the Grenfell Tower fire and the Windrush scandal. Her government also announced a £20 billion increase in funding to the National Health Service, established the first Race Disparity Audit, presided over the lowest unemployment rate since 1975, launched a 25 Year Environment Plan, amending the Climate Change Act 2008 to end the UK's contribution to global warming by 2050, passed legislation to mitigate knife crime and give additional powers to law enforcement and intelligence services to combat terrorism, published the 2017 Industrial Strategy White Paper and signed an immigration treaty with France to stem illegal border crossings in January 2018. Although May did not succeed in getting much of her Brexit legislation through Parliament, her government was nevertheless responsible for passing the Great Repeal Act 2018 and for negotiating and approving the near-entirety of the UK's terms of exit from the EU. As prime minister, May was also a prominent figure in leading the international condemnation and response to Russia over the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March 2018.
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