May 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election
14 May 2021 June 2021 →
Turnout100%
 
Candidate Edwin Poots Sir Jeffrey Donaldson
MPs/MLAs ballots 19 17
Percentage 52.80% 47.20%
Leader before election

Arlene Foster

 Elected Leader

Edwin Poots

The May 2021 Democratic Unionist Party leadership election was triggered by Arlene Foster's resignation from leadership.[1] It was the Democratic Unionist Party's first leadership election since the party's founding in 1971.[2]

Foster released a statement on 28 April 2021 announcing her intention to resign as party leader on 28 May in order to provide party officers with some space to arrange for the leadership contest.[3][4] Party chair Maurice Morrow later announced that the leadership election would take place on 14 May 2021.[5]

Edwin Poots MLA won, with 19 votes from DUP MPs and MLAs, beating Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP's 17 votes. At the same time, Paula Bradley MLA was elected as the party's deputy leader to replace Nigel Dodds, Baron Dodds of Duncairn, beating Gregory Campbell MP by 18 votes to 16.[6]

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 a replacement for Arlene Foster.[7][8]

Background

Following the end of Brexit negotiations that culminated in the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement in 2020, party leader Arlene Foster was criticised for supporting prime minister Boris Johnson, who was blamed for the Irish Sea border due to the Northern Ireland Protocol.[9] In contrast to most other DUP Northern Ireland Assembly members, Foster abstained in a vote on gay conversion therapy.[4]

22 DUP Members of the Legislative Assembly and four Members of Parliament expressed no-confidence in her leadership in a letter.[1]

Timeline

Candidates

Declared

Candidate Born Political office Announced Source

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson 		7 December 1962
Kilkeel, Northern Ireland 		Leader in the House of Commons (since 2019)
MP for Lagan Valley (since 1997) 		3 May 2021 [12][13]

Edwin Poots 		27 May 1965
Lisburn, Northern Ireland 		Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (since 2020)
MLA for Lagan Valley (since 1998) 		29 April 2021 [14][15]

Declined

Candidate Born Political office Reason

Gavin Robinson 		22 November 1984
Belfast, Northern Ireland 		MP for Belfast East (since 2015)
Lord Mayor of Belfast (2012–2013)
Member of the Belfast City Council (2011–2015) 		Endorsing Jeffrey Donaldson[10]

Results

The election was held on 14 May 2021, with the result announced on the same day at approximately 17:00 BST. Under the party's constitution, any party member that is either a Member of the Legislative Assembly or an MP in the House of Commons is entitled to vote. The electorate encompassed the DUP's 8 MPs and 28 MLAs. The five DUP members of the House of Lords were not permitted to vote.[16]

Full result[17]
Candidate MP / MLA votes
Votes %
Edwin Poots 19 52.8
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson 17 47.2

References

  1. ^ a b "Arlene Foster announces resignation as DUP leader and NI first minister". BBC News. 28 April 2021. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  2. ^ Carroll, Rory (28 April 2021). "Why is the DUP preparing to dump Arlene Foster?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  3. ^ Blevins, David (28 April 2021). "Arlene Foster to step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland's first minister". Sky News. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b Davies, Gareth (28 April 2021). "Arlene Foster resigns as DUP leader and Northern Ireland First Minister". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  5. ^ a b "DUP leadership vote to take place on 14 May". BBC News. 4 May 2021. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Edwin Poots is elected DUP leader". BBC News. 14 May 2021. Archived from the original on 18 May 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 17 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  9. ^ McCormack, Jayne. "Sir Jeffrey Donaldson: Who is the man set to be DUP's new leader?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  10. ^ a b "DUP leadership: Three candidates for DUP deputy leader". BBC News. 7 May 2021. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  11. ^ Noonan, Laura (4 May 2021). "Northern Ireland's DUP sets May 14 for election of new leader". Financial Times. London. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  12. ^ Blevins, David (3 May 2021). "Sir Jeffrey Donaldson announces bid to succeed Arlene Foster as DUP leader". Sky News. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  13. ^ Carroll, Rory (3 May 2021). "Sir Jeffrey Donaldson launches campaign to become DUP leader". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  14. ^ Poots, Edwin [@edwinpootsmla] (29 April 2021). "Today, I announce my candidacy for leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. I love this country and its people and I look forward to engaging with party colleagues in the days ahead" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 24 June 2021 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ Carroll, Rory (30 April 2021). "Edwin Poots tipped to succeed Arlene Foster as DUP leader". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  16. ^ Torrance, David (12 May 2021). "DUP leadership election and appointing a First Minister". House of Commons Library. House of Commons Library. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  17. ^ Hogan, Laura (14 May 2021). "Edwin Poots to succeed Foster as new DUP leader". RTE News. RTE. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
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