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DUP: Gavin Robinson appointed interim leader by party officers

PA Media Gavin RobinsonPA Media
Gavin Robinson was unanimously appointed as DUP interim leader by the party officers on Friday

Gavin Robinson has been appointed as interim leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

His appointment follows the resignation of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson as party leader.

Sir Jeffrey stepped down after being charged with historical sexual offences.

On Friday, the DUP party officers suspended Sir Jeffrey from the party and unanimously appointed deputy leader Gavin Robinson as interim leader.

Mr Robinson is the MP for East Belfast and became deputy leader in June 2023.

He is a former lord mayor of Belfast and was first elected to parliament in 2015.

Mr Robinson had been seen as politically close to Sir Jeffrey, having run Sir Jeffrey's campaign for leadership of the DUP.

The DUP is the second largest party in the Northern Ireland assembly, which sits at Stormont.

PA Media Emma-Little PengellyPA Media
The DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly is Northern Ireland's deputy first minister

DUP assembly member Emma Little-Pengelly holds the role of deputy first minister.

She is joint head of Northern Ireland's Executive alongside the first minister, Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill.