Ex-DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson charged with sex crimes | Shaun Woodward

As we know, divided parties don't win elections, so unless they want to indulge in suicide, they would be very wise not to try to tear down the current position, because that would just be grandiloquent to their opponents, which they need to do. right now is to unite behind Gavin Robinson unite behind the position they democratically agreed when they returned to government a few weeks ago and they need to face a general election now Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neal has said she is determined to ensure The continuing role of the assembly and executive transferred following the shock resignation of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson after being accused of rape and other historic sexual offenses earlier this week.

Gavin Robinson, the DUP's interim

leader

, has hit back at opponents who criticize them for trying to score cheap political points following the news and Mr Donaldson is understood to be vigorously contesting all charges brought against him, well, let's talk to Shawn Woodward, former Northern Ireland secretary, good morning to you, good morning and thank you very much for joining us this Easter, what do I mean? Were you surprised when you heard the news about Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, his arrest and his immediate resignation? I think, like everyone, I was completely surprised, it was not something I even remotely expected, anticipating and obviously it is very important that the judicial process takes place.

It is important that we protect the integrity of that process. Obviously, there are people who came forward with these accusations. The police have obviously investigated them and, as I understand it, Mr. Donaldson will be S. Jeffrey will appear in court at the end of April to face those charges. that process has to go ahead so I'm not surprised that he has resigned and that the DUP doesn't have an interim

leader

but yes it was a big shock and I'm sure everyone is shocked and everyone involved it's important that the process happens, but this is very challenging for all of them as individuals, and there are potential victims in this and that is very important for us to recognize that as we talk about this topic, we know that I mean to manage the different opinions within the dup.

In fact, it has been very difficult and we know that Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, after two years in which we did not have an assembly or a functioning executive in Northern Ireland, managed to get the party to a point where he would agree to return to the executive of power sharing now that we have heard well from Michelle O'Neal, Shen Fain's prime minister, and also from Gavin Robinson, who is now the interim leader of the DUP, and other senior figures in the party, that they want those institutions to continue, but Do you think that, given how difficult it is? has been to get politics working again in Northern Ireland that there is a danger there oh there is undoubtedly a danger but there always is in Northern Ireland politics um I think there is nothing like a general election to focus minds without however and and you know, Jeffrey Donaldson has resigned now there is an interim leader Gavin Robinson as you say uh the prime minister and the deputy prime minister from two different parties of course they have all said that they are confident that the strength of the institution will continue.

I think we should probably take that at face value and I think the biggest question at the moment is what the hell should the DUP do in the face of a pending general election and a moment ago you were looking at what the hell that might mean for the Tory party here in Britain, but for the DUP this is also now a real challenge and, as we know, divided parties do not win elections, so unless they want the luxury of committing suicide, they would be very wise not to try. trash the current position, uh, because that would just be grandiloquent on the part of his opponents.

What they need to do now is rally behind Gavin Robinson. Unite behind the position they democratically agreed upon when they returned to government a few weeks ago and need to confront. a general election and you know, Carol, what's interesting and I was looking at the numbers, you know there are two seats, for example, for the DUP currently holding in Belfast East and ANM South, where the majorities are 3,000 or less, that's the sort of numbers RI Sunak would dream of in terms of being able to stay in his seat; In other words, these numbers disappear very easily with mood swings and changes of mind, so the dup needs to get its act together, stay together, is trying to do that maybe it will succeed, it's on Uup's heels, it's on its heels. the heels of other political parties led by Jim Anis, for example, who was quick to show up to jump on the events of the weekend, um, I guess what.

What matters here from a Northern Ireland point of view is that everyone has the courage and that would be my advice to the DUP. You have a difficult situation, um, handle it and we know that as long as the dup is going through this very difficult process, presumably they will. I need to devise a proper process for choosing a replacement for Jeffrey Donaldson Gavin Robinson. He is now in his place as interim leader. Are you worried that that means this almost void that we've had for over two years where there's nothing? nothing is decided is delivered um the voters in Northern Ireland are becoming increasingly frustrated by the fact that that situation continues no, no, no, because I think the harsh reality here will come into play and Gavin Robinson and the deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengi I'm sure I'm going to tell the dup right now look, if we split up, if we split up right now and start arguing about what we're doing, we're going to face an electoral collapse and possibly be terminated in the short term, so If they want to keep their seats in the next general election they have to unite right now and show that, no matter how difficult the events of this weekend have been, they will of course be in the media spotlight.

However, in the coming months they will have to stay united, if they don't stay united then they will stay united and by which I mean they will lose seats in the general election and that must be the message. that will be played every quarter at this party this weekend, and of course, in the meantime, Shin Faine seems to be going strong on both sides of the border. Do you think we should be careful about the repercussions? Well, I don't distrust Shen Fain taking positions of political responsibility, whether you agree or disagree with Shin Fain's goal of creating a united island, it is a problem for the people of the Republic of Ireland and the North.

Ireland must resolve and of course that is what the Good Friday agreement allows if you consider that a majority of people would actually want to vote, so I am not worried about that and I think you know one of the things I feel. What is so striking among all these difficulties is the strength of the pillars of the Good Friday agreement. In politics you don't take anything for granted, you would be a complete fool if you did, but the interesting thing is that over the last 25 years Approximately 26 years we have seen the Good Friday agreement tested in all sorts of ways.

We have seen, yes, prime ministers come and go. We saw Ian Pasley come and go, for example. All these people you know. Martin McGinness officiated the match. Martin is now dead, what I'm trying to say here is that he is surviving and I think it's a great tribute to the building of the Good Friday agreement and I think it will endure, it will be tested in the election, and no. It follows that the DUP will do as well as they had imagined they would this time last week and Shin Feain may do even better, but it will be the Olster Unionist party that would be analyzing right now what Doug Bey has to do .

I think that's the most interesting dimension of this: the former unionist party, which of course prepared the Good Friday agreement, the DUP stood by and actually said never, so they benefited from this happening right now, the politics of the former unionist party. It's a long and short game too Carol, as you know this is possibly a big moment for the strong unionist party.