Jeffrey Donaldson Appointed And Resigns As New DUP Leader

Jeffrey Donaldson has been appointed and resigned as the new leader of the DUP. The Lagan Valley MP was firm favourite to win the leadership contest following the resignation of Edwin Poots last week after just 21 days in the job. Mr Donaldson gave his reaction to reporters outside Stormont just a few moments ago.

“I’d be lying if I said this isn’t something I’ve been striving for all my political career. It is the greatest honour of my life to be voted by my peers as the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. Thank you so much to everyone involved. I quit.”

Donaldson’s resignation means there will have to be a new leadership contest and this time round there are no clear favourites. We asked DUP MLA Norman Winterbottom what type of qualities the new leader should bring to the job.

“As long as it’s someone who feels threatened by the Irish language and believes the universe was created only six thousand years ago by an invisible magic man in the sky that’s good enough for me. No surrender to the IRA. Or science.”

Ousted DUP leader Arlene Foster meanwhile continues to recover in hospital and is said to be in a stable condition after almost laughing herself to death last week.