DUP leadership: Poots 'does not want NI first minister post'

Edwin Poots will split the role of party leader from first minister, if he is successful in his bid to lead the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Confirming the proposal to BBC News NI, his spokesperson said MLAs would be consulted about the ministerial team.

Sources close to Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told Sunday Politics he will enter the race to to be the next DUP leader on Monday, NI's centenary.

Arlene Foster is to step down as party leader at the end of May.

Mrs Foster, who announced her resignation on Wednesday, will then step down as Northern Ireland's first minister at the end of June.

So far, Mr Poots, who is Stormont's agriculture minister, is the only person to officially announce their candidacy for DUP leader.

In a statement to the Sunday Life, his campaign team said the role of leader would involve rebuilding the party's core.

BBC News NI understands that Mr Poots would want to remain as Agriculture Minister, if he wins the party leadership.

On Saturday, his campaign manager, MLA Paul Frew, said Mr Poots had received the backing of the majority of the party's MPs and MLAs who make up the electoral college.

However, Sir Jeffrey has also received significant endorsements, according to reports from Press Association sources.

"He has very strong support from the parliamentary team and has more firm commitments from MLAs than Mr Poots," they said.

It is understood that Sir Jeffrey will have the support of East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson who will not run for leader.

In order to become party leader, the winning candidate will need to secure the support of at least 18 of the party's MLAs and MPs.

Less than three months ago Edwin Poots underwent a cancer operation, it is remarkable that he is up and about doing his job again as agriculture minister, never mind going for the leadership of the party.

He believes that there is a massive job to do to reorganise the DUP to get it battle-ready again.

There are a lot of people worried about the looming assembly elections - I think he believes that is probably enough.

His political hero was Ian Paisley, so I think he would regard it the honour of a lifetime to be only the fourth leader of the party founded and led for so many decades by Ian Paisley - probably a better, bigger prize than being the first minister.

If Sir Jeffrey Donaldson declares that he is running, these are party colleagues that share the same office together.

They have been colleagues for 18 years - that should make for some interesting chat around the watercooler.

And don't forget the next first minister, chosen by the DUP leader, will only be in post for the next few months, perhaps at most, a year.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said the fact Mr Poots is the "main candidate" to lead the DUP "speaks to who the DUP are at the core".

"The fact that the push against Arlene Foster wasn't as a result of progressives in the party feeling she hadn't gone far enough, but those regressives in the party thinking she had gone too far, speaks volumes," she told the BBC's Sunday Politics programme.

"Irrespective of who the DUP picks as their leader, that leader will be constrained by the membership, and by the kind of policy positions that they're going to take consistently."

Sunday Politics will be repeated at 23:00 BST on BBC Two Northern Ireland or you can watch it on the BBC iPlayer.