DUP leadership election details revealed

Edwin Poots resigned as leader of the DUP last week. Credit: PA

DUP party officers have set a date of June 26 to elect a new leader.

The nomination process has now opened, with a deadline of 12 noon this Tuesday for nominations in the leadership contest to be submitted.

A meeting will be held next week, on June 26, at which the next DUP leader will be selected.

Speaking on Saturday, party chairman Lord Morrow said: "Following a meeting of the party officers in Belfast today the following decisions were taken.

"The party officers have set the date of June 26 as the date for a meeting to elect a new leader.

"In accordance with the constitution and rules of the Democratic Unionist Party only party members, who are also members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the House of Commons are entitled to vote for the leader or deputy leader. Details have been sent to all eligible voters."

It follows the resignation of Edwin Poots after just three weeks in the role, amid internal unhappiness over his decision to appoint a First Minister after Westminster vowed to push through Irish language legislation.

The DUP is craving stability after a turbulent two months that has seen former leader Arlene Foster resign after an internal heave against her and Mr Poots follow suit after he was also fatally weakened by a party revolt.

His resignation on Thursday night came after just three weeks in the post.

It was prompted by his decision to press ahead with reconstituting the Stormont Executive alongside Sinn Fein, despite a significant majority of his MPs and MLAs being vociferously opposed to the move.

Anger at a UK Government pledge to grant Sinn Fein a key concession on Irish language laws was behind the internal opposition to Mr Poots' decision to nominate a First Minister to lead the administration alongside the republican party.

On Friday, deputy First Minister Ms O'Neill said she remained committed to working with Mr Givan for as long as he remained in the role of First Minister.

She urged her partners in government to "get their act together" to ensure effective governance at Stormont.