Eight in 10 people want Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to resign as Lagan Valley MP as he faces historical sex abuse charges.
Women were more likely to want him to quit than men, and DUP voters were the least inclined to say he should go.
Donaldson appeared in Newry Magistrates Court last month charged with 11 historical sex offences, which he strenuously denies.
He is facing one charge of rape; one of gross indecency involving a child; and nine counts of indecent assault.
He resigned as DUP leader on Good Friday after being questioned and charged by police. However, he has stayed on as Lagan Valley MP – a position he has held for 27 years.
In a LucidTalk opinion poll for the Belfast Telegraph, 81% of people believe he should quit now, with 12% saying he shouldn’t and 7% unsure.
Women (88%) were keener than men (75%) to see him go. Some 98% of Sinn Fein, 99% of Green Party, and 92% of Alliance voters want him to resign as MP. That position was shared by 84% of SDLP supporters.
Among unionists, TUV voters (78%) feel most strongly that Mr Donaldson should stand down, followed by UUP supporters (66%).
A majority of DUP voters (58%) also believe he should resign, although 32% think he shouldn’t and 10% are unsure.
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In his own Lagan Valley constituency, 71% of people say he should quit as their MP with 23% saying he shouldn’t and 6% unsure.
Older voters across Northern Ireland are more sympathetic to Mr Donaldson remaining in the job than younger ones. Some 93% of 18-24 year olds compared to 74% of pensioners believe he should resign.
Donaldson now sits as an independent MP, although he hasn’t entered the parliamentary estate since he was charged.
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DUP insiders were relieved that he didn’t step down from Westminster, forcing a by-election they feared they would lose to Alliance’s Sorcha Eastwood. Senior sources say that Donaldson won’t stand in the general election.
Two DUP councillors are continuing to work for him. Lisburn and Castlereagh councillor Thomas Beckett remains in employment as the MP’s office manager and personal assistant, while Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon councillor Paul Rankin is still a case worker for the MP.
In their paid employment roles for Donaldson, both men work out of the DUP’s Lagan Valley constituency office in Castle Street.
The party’s MLAs — Emma Little-Pengelly and Paul Givan — also operate from the office.
The former DUP leader’s bail terms ban him from having any contact with any children under the age of 16.
The charges facing him span a 22-year period. His wife, Eleanor Donaldson (58), denies two charges of child cruelty, one of aiding and abetting rape, and one of aiding and abetting an indecent assault on a female.
She is listed as being employed as her husband’s secretary in the MPs’ register of interests. According to information published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, the staffing payroll costs claimed by the former DUP leader for the year 2022 to 2023 were £168,721.61.
Eleanor Donaldson is listed as receiving a salary of between £25,000 and £29,999.99 for being his full-time “senior secretary”.
The Lagan Valley MP is listed as having eight staff members, including two full-time senior secretaries and a part-time one, an office manager, two case workers, a parliamentary assistant and a policy assistant.
by BelfastBodyBuilder
7 comments
Dirty Jeffrey out!
https://preview.redd.it/bek5f97xkk1d1.jpeg?width=261&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd234080da93bf0397df7801f512c10f10080cf5
Why isn’t he gone already
this pedestal might be too difficult to fall from,
to fall on ones sword.
> Eleanor Donaldson is listed as receiving a salary of between £25,000 and £29,999.99 for being his full-time “senior secretary”.
Just a wee reminder that this happened… and, no, you didn’t dream it:
> I was struck by the almost poignant way the married couple demonstrated their respect for the proceedings. I imagine that Lady Donaldson, who tilted her head and briefly smiled at points and even spoke a few words to the custody officer beside her, was – understandably – trying to convey a sense of confidence, ease and dignity amid an appearance that even the most accomplished public performer would find gruelling.
Yes… thanks for that, Ben Lowry. Your lickspittlery is utterly unrestrained by taste and decency and knows no lower bounds.
I’m not in his fan club but I believe in the concept of innocent until proven guilty, even for them’uns. .
He’ll cling on as long as he can for the money. Same thing with the wee creep Pincher that brought down the flabby fraud Boris. He waited until two days before his appeal date expired before lodging an appeal and then parliament went into summer recess so he got his wages for another few months, then the months it took to argue his appeal. Nobody knows when the election is for sure so wee Jaffarey will need all the cash he can get his grubby wee mitts on.
I too believe in the principle of innocent until proven guilty. Even when accused of sexual crimes.
If found guilty throw the book at him. But still entitled to due process and his day in court before he is treated as a guilty man.