Jeffrey Donaldson: From the White House to Antrim police station

Two weeks ago Sir Jeffrey Donaldson stood in the shadow of the White House like a leader liberated. After two turbulent years he could at last enjoy the fruits of his labour. Washington was now a warm place for the then DUP leader. It was the beginning of a new era in Northern Ireland.

The DUP leader was happy to take a back seat during the interview. He was relaxed and at ease with the course he had now plotted. But he was also aware of the threat he posed to his position if he didn’t back down. He said: ‘I’m not going to back down on this.

I’m going to continue to fight for the cause’ Sir Jeffrey was charged with rape and other sexual offences dating back many years. It triggered an explosion at the heart of the DUP as the party tried to process the charges. All of Jeffrey Donaldson’s social media platforms were closed down. It was both a legal and political minefield.

DUP party officer meeting was quickly called for Friday morning. A letter from Jeffrey Donaldson was shared. It set out how he had been charged with historical offences. The letter also included his strenuous denial of the charges he now faced.

That detail was left out of the subsequent DUP press statement. Jeffrey Donaldson has been suspended from the party membership. Gavin Robinson has been appointed as interim leader of the DUP. There is no sign of any divisions within the DUP’s shell-shocked ranks.

Shoring up the fledging power sharing institutions will be his first priority. The DUP may struggle to find a manifesto all their MPs can sign up to. The prospect of the DUP trying to retain the seat in a by-election is not something Gavin Robinson would relish. A bigger challenge for Gavin Robinson will be managing those DUP MPs opposed to the deal.