Déjà vu at DUP headquarters in East Belfast as party gathers for a leadership contest

It all felt a bit déjà vu being back at DUP headquarters in East Belfast for a party leadership contest.

It will have been hard for the party's MPs and MLAs not to think back to those chaotic days two years ago when the DUP's internal politics spilled out in public.

Arlene Foster was ousted as leader and Edwin Poots took over, but only for 21 days. 

And then Sir Jeffrey Donaldson became leader but only after what seemed like days and weeks of meetings at DUP headquarters as the party wrangled over its problems.

There was none of that this time round, but the fact that there was a contest at all for the deputy leadership role points to at least a bit of a hangover of the split exposed two years ago.

Gavin Robinson was always viewed as the shoe-in for deputy leader.  A strong and steady performer for the party both at Westminster and in front of the cameras at home. 

He's a solid supporter of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson from the start of his leadership and tipped as a possible future leader himself.  

Jonathan Buckley MLA also fancied his chances at the job.  Two years ago he supported Edwin Poots' leadership and was appointed his Chief of Staff for that short time.  

Despite debate around whether the party leader and deputy leader should both be based at Westminster, that's how the party will now go forward.

During a short interview at the DUP's offices after today's vote, the new deputy leader Gavin Robinson stressed a contest within a party was 'incredibly healthy' and 'respectful'. 

Both he and the losing candidate Jonathan Buckley repeated the party was united and they would work 'collectively' for the future.

The party chairman Lord Morrow explained that the candidates had requested that the results of today's vote not be made public. 

Neither Gavin Robinson nor Jonathan Buckley know how many votes they received.  It stops any further analysis of what's going on internally both by those in the DUP and those looking in.

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