DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson insists he will return to Stormont as an MLA again

DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson insists he is committed to returning to Stormont as an MLA – despite not taking three opportunities.

Cllr Paul Rankin has been co-opted into the Lagan Valley seat made vacant by Edwin Poots who transferred to South Belfast following the sudden death of Christopher Stalford.

Sir Jeffrey could also have moved for vacancies in Fermanagh South Tyrone and South Down, but chose not to.

Last July, he told UTV’s View From Stormont he wanted to return to the chamber “as quickly as possible”.

• Sir Jeffrey Donaldson speaks to UTV's View from Stormont last year:

“The situation has clearly changed, we no longer have a functioning Executive,” Sir Jeffrey told UTV.

“I remain committed to the Assembly, I want to see the Executive up and running again, but the reason we don’t have an Executive at the moment is because of the enormous harm being caused by the protocol.

“I was always clear that Lagan Valley would be where I would return to the Assembly. We are literally just days away now from nominations opening for the Assembly and I’ll be leading the team into the election.”