The leader of Northern Ireland's main pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party Jeffrey Donaldson has stepped down after being charged by police over "allegations of an historic nature," the party said Friday, March 29.
"The party chairman has received a letter from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP confirming that he has been charged with allegations of an historical nature and indicating that he is stepping down as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party with immediate effect," the party said in statement. "In accordance with the party rules, the party officers have suspended Mr Donaldson from membership, pending the outcome of a judicial process," it said.
The statement added that party officers had unanimously appointed Gavin Robinson, another DUP lawmaker in the United Kingdom's parliament, as interim party leader.
The shock resignation came soon after several of Donaldson's social media accounts were abruptly deleted.
The announcement came after Donaldson opted last month to have the party return to power-sharing in Northern Ireland with the Irish nationalist party Sinn Féin, following a two-year boycott of the political institutions following controversy over Brexit trading arrangements.
The DUP agreed to return to the center of power in Stormont following a series of assurances around Northern Ireland's constitutional position within the United Kingdom.
Donaldson has been a member of Parliament since 1997 and was initially a member of the smaller Ulster Unionist Party. He joined the DUP in 2004. He had been expected to lead his party into the next UK general election, expected later this year.