Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has resigned as leader of the DUP after being accused of sexual offences in the past.
Sir Jeffrey, 61, is due to appear in court in Newry next month over the allegations made a short time ago. He said he will vigorously contest the charges.
The 57-year-old woman is also charged with aiding and abetting in connection with the alleged offences. They were both arrested early on Thursday morning by PSNI detectives and questioned before being charged on Thursday evening.
Sources said Sir Jeffrey left Northern Ireland this morning and travelled to London where he has a flat. He has been suspended by the Orange Order.
The DUP confirmed Sir Jeffrey’s resignation shortly before 1p.m. Gavin Robinson has been appointed interim leader of the party.
His departure will have implications for Northern Ireland’s political institutions. A few weeks ago Sir Jeffrey agreed a deal to restore power-sharing.
Sinn Fein leader Michelle O’Neill has said her priority is to ensure the executive “works for the benefit of all our society now and in the future”.
According to the BBC, Sir Jeffrey’s letter said he would vigorously contest the allegations. Speculation over Sir Jeffrey’s future increased on Friday morning, with reports of an unscheduled meeting of DUP party officials. Sources believe that only a small number of officials were aware of what was going on. His social media accounts also disappeared overnight.
Sir Jeffrey is also known to have cancelled a number of scheduled appearances late yesterday. His photos and other statements from him have been removed from the DUP website.
Sir Jeffrey, who has been DUP leader since 2021, has been the MP for Lagan Valley since 1997. His career began in the Ulster Unionist Party and in 1985, aged 22, he became the youngest person elected to the Assembly.
Sir Jeffrey’s relationship with former UUP leader David Trimble soured when he led a walkout at the 1998 peace talks, opposing the early release of republican and loyalist prisoners. In January 2004 he left the party and joined the DUP.
Sir Jeffrey was recognised by the Queen in 2016 when she awarded him a knighthood in honour of his birthday.
The interim leader, Mr. Robinson, served as Lord Mayor of Belfast from June 2012 to June 2013. He was elected MP for East Belfast in 2015 before being re-elected in 2017 and 2019. In June last year he was elected deputy leader of the DUP.
