Sir Jeffrey Donaldson accepts some responsibility for DUP division
- Published
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is the DUP's third leader within the space of 50 days
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has accepted some responsibility for divisions that have led his party to three leaders in 50 days.
The Lagan Valley MP said "hurtful things had been said and done".
He had apologised to Edwin Poots for walking out on his speech when Mr Poots was confirmed as leader, he said.
Sir Jeffrey became the party's third leader in 50 days when his leadership was ratified by the DUP on Wednesday.
He is the party's fifth leader in its 50-year history.
Arlene Foster announced in April her resignation as leader of the party and as first minister when more than 20 DUP MLAs and four MPs signed a letter voicing no-confidence in her leadership.
When Mr Poots became her successor, Sir Jeffrey, who ran against Mr Poots for the leadership in May, was among a number of high-profile politicians who left the building as he made his first speech.
Mr Poots, in turn, quit after 21 days in post after losing the support of party colleagues when he backed a deal following talks between the party, Sinn Féin and the UK government over provisions for Irish language legislation.
He confirmed Sir Jeffrey had his full support and that he had given him his backing in Saturday's leadership vote.
Sir Jeffrey said a "fractured unionism" could not deliver what the people of Northern Ireland needed.
"As the candidate in the first leadership contest who had lost narrowly to Edwin, I should have waited and listened to Edwin's speech," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster.
"I apologised for not having done so, because I think we all need to recognise that in the midst of the difficulties we have had, we have said and done things to each other that have been hurtful.
"The first step in healing the wounds is to recognise that and acknowledge that."
He confirmed his apology to Mr Poots after the party's deputy leader Paula Bradley apologised for remarks made by some of her party colleagues in the past about the LGBTQ community.
Edwin Poots was party leader for just 21 days
Ms Bradley admitted on Thursday evening that some of the things said by the DUP over the past 50 years had been "absolutely atrocious".
She added their remarks "fed into the hatred" endured by LGBTQ people.
Sir Jeffrey said Ms Bradley, as deputy leader, spoke for the party.
"There is no doubt that in the past things have been said that should not have been said across a whole range of issues and not just by the DUP," he said.
"I think it is right to apologise when we have said things that have been hurtful to others."
Ms Bradley, who represents North Belfast in the Northern Ireland Assembly, was elected deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in May.
Paula Bradley was elected as deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in May
She has previously been described as the DUP's most liberal assembly member.
On Thursday, Ms Bradley was among representatives of six of the largest parties in Northern Ireland who took part in an online discussion about LGBTQ rights, chaired by John O'Doherty from the Rainbow Project.
She apologised when she was asked if the DUP should apologise for comments over its history.
Mr O'Doherty asked Ms Bradley if there would ever be a time "when the DUP would, or if they should, apologise for the hurt and harm caused to LGBTQI Plus people in the last 50 years".
"I am not going to defend some of the things that have been said over the years because they've been absolutely atrocious, they've been shocking," she replied.
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- Published29 May 2021
