Democratic Unionists facing divisive leadership battle

It was the grand finale which caught us all by surprise this week, including the central character.

The final and brutal episode of an 18-year political career.

Arlene Foster was well aware of a plot, but she hadn't read the script to the end.

When she did it was too late; her fate had been sealed.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader thought her line of duty was to stay in the job, but other DUP actors wanted her written out of the plot.

While we all watched the dramatic conclusion, only those on the inside know the true storyline.

We can piece it together, cutting through the briefing and counter briefing.

The News Letter's reports on Tuesday of letters of discontent among DUP constituency associations set the final play in motion.

It was dismissed by team Foster as the usual suspects agitating, in letters which hadn't reached their eyes.

Though this felt different.

All of a sudden there was radio silence; the mobiles of key DUP politicians and press officers rang out. Messages were left, but none returned.

Then the leader appeared at a Shankill Road community centre to rubbish the claims.

She said it was "just another story about leadership which we will just deal with," adding she "had bigger things to do".

By the afternoon, the whispers grew louder and DUP mobiles stayed silent.

By mid-afternoon, two senior DUP politicians confirmed this was not just another story.

They told how a letter of no confidence in the DUP leadership was being passed around and signed by MLAs.

One of them had signed it and, by that stage, at least 20 signatures were on the paper.

"Some of the names caught me by surprise and I knew then it was over for Arlene," he said.

He also talked of meetings and named those colleagues who were leading the plot.

Victory, for them, was in sight.

The story was ready to run on BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme and still there was no response from team Foster.

Although we later learned that a senior member was busy ringing around trying to assess the damage.

By that stage, it was too late.

The power in the party now rested with the Assembly team and not the leadership.

"It was coming, we were just being ignored by those in charge. There was an inner circle and we were never part of it," said one MLA.

"It was easier to name those supporting Arlene and those against her," he added.

Then came the warnings from those who now feared the worst for their leader, suggesting the plan to oust Mrs Foster would only hand Sinn Féin power - allowing Michelle O'Neill to demand concessions on Irish language in return for supporting the DUP's next first minister.

Sinn Féin privately knocked that back, insisting triggering a crisis and risking an election was not in its thinking.

As Arlene Foster was preparing her resignation speech on Wednesday, Edwin Poots was getting ready to canvass support for his leadership bid.

By Thursday morning, the ring around was almost complete and his supporters said possible floating voters were in the bag.

"He didn't waste any time, he wanted to take advantage of the momentum from the vote of no confidence," said one DUP MLA.

"It was hard to say no as he was the only one running and you felt you were talking to the next leader."

However, it now appears there will be two in the race to succeed Arlene Foster with Sir Jeffrey Donaldson poised to announce his candidacy this week.

That prospect prompted team Poots to claim victory on Saturday, his campaign manager Paul Frew declaring he has received the majority of support from the 27 MLAs and 8 MPs.

As expected, the other side hit back with one senior DUP politician claiming "the Poots team are calling MLAs and saying they already have 50%, do you want to sign up?"

But the politician added: "That is not the case."

The DUP mobiles are now being answered and messages returned as both sides ramp up the briefings.

This contest has the potential to get dirty with the likelihood of only a few votes separating the winner and loser.

Uniting the party after a divisive election battle will be a big task for the new leader.

We could easily end up with a border down the middle of the DUP.