Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, has lauded the promises by Stormont leaders to bolster the stability of power-sharing institutions, in response to the unexpected news of Jeffrey Donaldson’s resignation as DUP leader. The statement was publicised on Easter Sunday, where he also expressed favourable reception towards Gavin Robinson’s interim leadership of DUP.
Donaldson, currently representing Lagan Valley as an MP, withdrew from his position on Friday following accusations of sexual misconducts – an allegation he plans to earnestly challenge. His resignation, described as a “stunning disclosure” by Robinson, cannot be dissociated from the DUP even with the appointment of a new leader.
Shortly after Donaldson’s sudden exit, First Minister Michelle O’Neill confirmed she had discussions with other party leaders, including interim leader Robinson, to assure no risk was posed to the devolved Government. Speaking at a commemorative event in Dublin, she highlighted the necessity for all parties to now “buckle down” and focus on governance, her priority being “stability and cohesion”.
Echoing similar sentiments, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, also the co-head of Northern Ireland Government, committed to work closely with Robinson to establish stability.
Highlighting the progress made in the two months since the resumption of Stormont Assembly, ducked for two years by DUP due to post-Brexit trading dissent, Heaton-Harris commended the dedication exhibited by the First and Deputy First Ministers towards establishing a functional Stormont. He welcomed their assurances to maintain this work, reaffirming UK government’s commitment to collaborate with all political parties to build on this headway. He further stressed the continuous effort to make Northern Ireland an attractive environment for living, working, and investing.
In a recent communication with the members of his party, Mr Robinson emphasized that the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is not defined by a single individual. Instead, the party’s core is composed of an array of Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), councillors and numerous devoted members from across Northern Ireland. Mr Robinson underlined that the law enforcement and judicial systems should be allowed to carry out their duties without any disruption or influence, and that any actions or words from DUP’s members should not interfere with these proceedings in any manner.
This came after the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), who issued two statements over the past weekend addressing their awareness of continued discussions taking place on various social media platforms and media channels. Their messages highlighted the importance of maintaining the integrity of any ongoing investigations. On Sunday, the PSNI remarked that they are cognizant of the public’s engagement towards their investigative timeline. They sought to remind the public and media that unconfirmed conjecture can potentially impair the criminal justice processes by fostering inaccuracies and causing detrimental effects.
In Dublin, Simon Harris, the expected future taoiseach, slated to be elected on April 9th, mentioned that his primary focus is to provide persistent support to the establishments of the Good Friday agreement in the aftermath of Mr Donaldson’s resignation. He affirmed that he would endeavour to facilitate engagement between the Northern and Southern parts of Ireland and London in all possible manners. Mr Harris highlighted that he bore in mind the ongoing criminal justice process.
High-level sources in Dublin attempted to minimize any immediate concerns regarding the stability of the Stormont Assembly. A key source from the Coalition stated that they expect the institutions to continue functioning despite recent incidents. Another drew attention to the planned North-South Ministerial Council meeting on April 8th. This will serve as one of the final official roles for the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and indicates that relations between Dublin and Belfast are not centred around individual personas.
Eamon Ryan, the leader of the Green Party, reported that the political leadership in the North has conveyed that it would ensure stability and continue to work for the betterment of the Northern populace, deeming this to be of great importance.