Donaldson seeks to become new leader of Northern Ireland's DUP

Reuters

Published Jun 21, 2021 02:09PM ET

By Amanda Ferguson

BELFAST (Reuters) - Jeffrey Donaldson sought on Monday to become the third leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in a matter of weeks, pledging to pressure the British government to ditch post-Brexit trade rules for the province agreed with the EU.

These rules effectively treat British-run Northern Ireland as part of the European Union for customs purposes under a protocol designed to avoid politically sensitive border checks with EU member Ireland.

They are deeply unpopular with the DUP and other supporters of the union with Britain because they create trade barriers between the province and the rest of the United Kingdom.

"Now, more than ever, we need to unite in the face of the threats posed to Northern Ireland by the protocol," Donaldson, the DUP's chief in the British parliament, said in a statement.

"Make no mistake, this is the number one issue facing our country, our people and our place within the United Kingdom. If elected, I will ensure that the (British) government doesn't just listen, but recognises the need to take decisive action to deal quickly with the protocol."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is already at loggerheads with the EU over implementation of the protocol.

Failure to act would "undoubtedly" have consequences for the stability of the power-sharing government that the DUP currently leads with Irish nationalist rivals Sinn Fein, he said.

TURBULENCE IN PARTY

The DUP, Northern Ireland's largest party, has gone through a tumultuous period since the ousting of its leader and the province's first minister Arlene Foster in late April.