DUP hierarchy seeking swift process to replace Edwin Poots as leader

Jun 18, 2021

Alistair Bushe

Editor

Dear reader

All the indications are the DUP will be moving swiftly to replace Edwin Poots as party leader, who dramatically announced his resignation on Thursday night.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who was narrowly beaten by Mr Poots during a leadership election in May, is the overwhelming favourite to succeed his fellow Lagan Valley representative, with the party hierarchy keen to avoid another bitterly fought process.

In his biweekly News Letter column, former first minister Peter Robinson launched an attack on Sinn Fein, accusing republicans of using “an automatic and mechanised procedure to appoint a replacement first minister into a self-serving negotiating process”.

The DUP was also hit by a further resignation on Friday, with Portadown based councillor Darryn Causy announcing that he had quit for “political, not personal” reasons.

Alistair Bushe
Editor

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