The DUP must keep Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s policy of sharing power

Editorial: Northern Ireland’s devolved government was only restored last month: it must continue

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has resigned as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (Getty)

We cannot comment on the reason for Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s resignation as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, except to say that the due process of law must be respected.

But his sudden departure from the leadership of the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland does have implications for the government there. It was only last month that the devolved administration was restored in Belfast after a two-year suspension. This was a welcome step forward after difficult negotiations not just between Sir Jeffrey and Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, but between different strands of opinion within the DUP.

That the DUP will now face a leadership election, in which there is likely to be a candidate opposed to the restoration of devolved government, puts the newly functioning administration at risk.