June 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election

Last updated

June 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election
←  May 2021 22 June 2021 2024  →
  Jeffrey Donaldson election infobox.jpg
Candidate Jeffrey Donaldson
Popular voteUnopposed
Leader before election

Edwin Poots

Elected Leader

Jeffrey Donaldson

The June 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election was triggered by Edwin Poots' resignation from the leadership of the party on 17 June 2021. [1]

Contents

Poots released a statement on 17 June 2021 announcing his intention to resign as party leader and that he had requested a new leadership contest, and that he would remain in post until a successor was appointed. [2] Party chair Maurice Morrow later announced that the leadership election would take place on 26 June 2021. [3]

After nominations closed on 22 June, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was declared the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party after becoming the sole candidate, [4] [5] and therefore no ballot was held. On 30 June, the party's executive body ratified Donaldson as leader. [6]

Background

After agreeing to a deal that resolved the stalemate over the Irish Language Act, Poots stood down as leader on 17 June after a meeting where a majority of DUP MLAs and MPs voted against the party nominating Paul Givan to be First Minister. [7] [8]

On 18 June 2021, a senior DUP source told The Irish Times that Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was expected to be the only candidate, as there was "no appetite for another potentially damaging leadership election." [9]

Candidates

Declared

CandidateBornPolitical officeAnnouncedSource
Official portrait of Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson crop 2.jpg
Jeffrey Donaldson 		7 December 1962
Kilkeel, Northern Ireland 		Leader in the House of Commons (since 2019)
MP for Lagan Valley (since 1997)		21 June 2021

Results

The election was scheduled to be held on 26 June 2021, [10] however after nominations closed on 22 June at 12:00 BST, [11] party chair Maurice Morrow revealed that Jeffrey Donaldson was the only candidate nominated. [12] Following a meeting of the party's MPs and MLAs to confirm the result (with the backing of 32 out of 36 votes), [13] the appointment of Donaldson as leader was ratified by the party executive on 26 June. [14]

June 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election
CandidateNominated by
Jeffrey Donaldson Self-nominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Unionist Party</span> Political party in Northern Ireland

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is a unionist, loyalist, British nationalist and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who led the party for the next 37 years. It is currently led by Gavin Robinson, who initially stepped in as an interim after the resignation of Jeffrey Donaldson. It is the second-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and won five seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom at the 2024 election. The party has been mostly described as right-wing and socially conservative, being anti-abortion and opposing same-sex marriage. The DUP sees itself as defending Britishness and Ulster Protestant culture against Irish nationalism and republicanism. It is also Eurosceptic and supported Brexit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Donaldson</span> British politician (born 1962)

Sir Jeffrey Mark Donaldson is a British former politician, who served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 2021 to 2024, and leader of the DUP in the UK House of Commons from 2019 to 2024. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lagan Valley from 1997 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlene Foster</span> Northern Irish politician, Former First Minister of Northern Ireland (born July 1970)

Arlene Isobel Foster, Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee,, is a British broadcaster and politician from Northern Ireland who is serving as Chair of Intertrade UK since September 2024. She previously served as First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2016 to 2017 and 2020 to 2021 and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 2015 to 2021. Foster was the first woman to hold either position. She is a Member of the House of Lords, having previously been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Fermanagh and South Tyrone from 2003 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edwin Poots</span> Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly since 2024

Edwin Poots is a British politician from Northern Ireland, serving as Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly since February 2024. He served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from May to June 2021. He was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Wells (politician)</span>

Jim Wells is a Northern Irish unionist politician who was Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety from 2014 to 2015. He additionally served on an interim basis as deputy speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly between 2006 and 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle McIlveen</span> Northern Irish DUP politician

Michelle McIlveen MLA is a Northern Irish unionist politician, serving as General Secretary of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) since 2008. she is the party's Spokesperson for Environment, Climate and Fisheries. She served as Minister for Education from June 2021 to October 2022, and a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Strangford since 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Executive of the 3rd Northern Ireland Assembly</span> Northern Ireland Executive (2007–2011)

The Second Executive is as under the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 a power sharing coalition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland</span> Joint heads of government of Northern Ireland

The First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland are the joint heads of government of Northern Ireland, leading the Northern Ireland Executive and with overall responsibility for the running of the Executive Office. Despite the titles of the two offices, the two positions have the same governmental power, resulting in a duumvirate; the deputy First Minister, customarily spelled with a lowercase d, is not subordinate to the First Minister. Created under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, both were initially nominated and appointed by members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on a joint ticket by a cross-community vote, under consociational principles. That process was changed following the 2006 St Andrews Agreement, such that the First Minister now is nominated by the largest party overall, and the deputy First Minister is nominated by the largest party from the next largest community block.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Givan</span> Northern Irish politician (born 1981)

Paul Jonathan Givan is a Northern Irish unionist politician who served as First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2021 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), he has served as Minister of Education since 3 February 2024. Givan has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lagan Valley since 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gavin Robinson</span> British politician (born 1984)

Gavin James Robinson is a Northern Irish unionist politician and barrister who has served as Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) since March 2024. He served as Deputy DUP Leader from June 2023 to May 2024. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Belfast East in the UK House of Commons since the 2015 general election. He was Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2012–2013. Robinson is the DUP Spokesperson for Defence and Home Affairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Beattie</span> Politician in Northern Ireland

Douglas Ricardo Beattie is a Northern Irish politician and former member of the British Army, who was leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) between 27 May 2021 and 28 September 2024. He has been a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann since 2016. He is characterised as a 'progressive' and 'liberal' unionist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election</span> Election held in Northern Ireland

The 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election was held on 5 May 2022. It elected 90 members to the Northern Ireland Assembly. It was the seventh assembly election since the establishment of the assembly in 1998. The election was held three months after the Northern Ireland Executive collapsed due to the resignation of the First Minister, Paul Givan of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), in protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Newry, Mourne and Down District Council election</span> 2019 Northern Ireland local election

The 2019 election to the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, part of the Northern Ireland local elections that were held on 2 May 2019 returned 41 members to the council via Single Transferable Vote.

Events from the year 2021 in Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election</span> Leadership election of the DUP, a Northern Irish political party

The May 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election was triggered by Arlene Foster's resignation from leadership. It was the Democratic Unionist Party's first leadership election since the party's founding in 1971.

Paul Rankin is a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician, serving as an Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Councillor for the Lagan River DEA since 2014 .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Executive of the 7th Northern Ireland Assembly</span> To be appointed Northern Ireland Executive (2022-)

The 6th Executive of Northern Ireland was appointed on 3 February 2024, following the 2022 election to the seventh Northern Ireland Assembly held on 5 May 2022 and the protracted negotiations leading up to the 2024 Northern Ireland Executive formation. The newly elected assembly met for the first time on 13 May 2022. It is led by Michelle O'Neill of Sinn Féin as First Minister and Emma Little-Pengelly of the DUP as deputy First Minister.

An election for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) was held on 27 May 2021 at a meeting of the Ulster Unionist Party council. The election was triggered following the resignation of incumbent leader Steve Aiken, who was elected in 2019. Doug Beattie, a retired Army captain who was first elected as an MLA in 2016, was elected leader of the party unopposed.

The 2024 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election was held on 29 May 2024 at a meeting of the Party Executive to ratify Gavin Robinson as DUP leader.

References

  1. ↑ "DUP leader Edwin Poots resigns amid internal party revolt". BBC News. 17 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. ↑ Carroll, Rory (17 June 2021). "Edwin Poots resigns as DUP leader after 21 days in post". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  3. ↑ Kearney, Vincent (19 June 2021). "Donaldson the frontrunner as DUP leadership nominations open". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  4. ↑ Andrews, Chris (22 June 2021). "DUP leadership: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is only candidate". BBC News . Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  5. ↑ McCambridge, Jonathan (22 June 2021). "Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to become next leader of the DUP". Belfast Telegraph . Press Association. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  6. ↑ "DUP leadership: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson ratified as party leader". BBC News. 30 June 2021. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  7. ↑ Hewitt, Ralph (17 June 2021). "Edwin Poots to step down as DUP leader just three weeks after taking the role". Belfast Telegraph . Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  8. ↑ Kelpie, Colm; Colhoun, Ciara (17 June 2021). "DUP revolt over first minister confirmation". BBC News . Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  9. ↑ McClements, Freya (18 June 2021). "Jeffrey Donaldson expected to become new DUP leader in 'coronation'". The Irish Times . Dublin. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "DUP: Paul Givan told he must resign as first minister". BBC News. 19 June 2021. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  11. ↑ Preston, Allan (19 June 2021). "DUP to elect new leader on June 26". Belfast Telegraph . Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  12. ↑ Hogan, Laura (22 June 2021). "Jeffrey Donaldson declared new DUP leader". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  13. ↑ "DUP: Party college endorses Sir Jeffrey Donaldson leadership". BBC News. 26 June 2021. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  14. ↑ McClements, Freya (22 June 2021). "Incoming DUP leader Donaldson to seek early meeting with Johnson". The Irish Times . Dublin. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.