DUP: Jonathan Buckley and Gavin Robinson run for deputy leadership

Jonathan Buckley (left) and Gavin Robinson are going head to head in a vote for the deputy leadership

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is in "healthy shape" ahead of the election for its new deputy leader.

Paula Bradley has been the party's second in command since 2021 but is stepping down from the role.

East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson and Jonathan Buckley, who represents Upper Bann in the Stormont assembly, are in the running to replace her.

DUP MPs and assembly members are due to vote later at the party headquarters.

Ahead of the vote Sir Jeffrey said: "It's a healthy thing in a democratic political party that people have choice.

"It's a healthy sign that the DUP has young people like Gavin and Jonathan coming forward, wanting to take up senior positions."

Sir Jeffrey rejected any suggestion of a split in the party, adding that he had worked hard as leader to build unity over the past two years.

Paula Bradley has served as the DUP's deputy leader since May 2021

"I don't detect any sense that this is about splits or division and it's not unusual in a political party to have competition for posts such as this," he said.

"It demonstrates that the DUP is in healthy shape."

The result of the vote will be ratified at a later date.

Ms Bradley succeeded Lord Dodds as deputy leader and has held the post since May 2021 when Edwin Poots was elected as the DUP's leader.

Last year she announced that she would not stand for re-election as an assembly member but she later took a position on Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

She retained her seat in the council election last month.

Donaldson hopeful of progress

The DUP is blocking the normal functioning of Stormont's power-sharing government and its legislative assembly as part of a protest against post-Brexit trade rules.

Changes were made to those trading arrangements in the Windsor Framework, agreed by the UK and the EU in March, but the DUP has said the new deal is not good enough.

As a result of the 16-month boycott Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill has not been able to take up the post of Northern Ireland's first minister.

The DUP, which is the second biggest party at Stormont and is entitled to the deputy first minister role, must return to power-sharing to allow those posts to be filled.

It has also meant that civil servants have been left to run Northern Ireland's public services amid a major budget crisis.

On Thursday Sir Jeffrey said he was hopeful of making progress in his talks with the UK government about what he required in order to agree a return to Stormont.