DUP: The 12 party members key to Stormont's return

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson with party colleagues

When Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is ready to do a deal to restore Stormont, a small group of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) members will be key to making the decision.

The party's officer board is made up of the leader and 11 other people.

Winning their support will be crucial if the DUP is to end its boycott.

But who are they? And will they back Sir Jeffrey if the proposal comes, or oppose any return to power-sharing?

Northern Ireland's government collapsed in February 2022 after the DUP withdrew in protest against post-Brexit trade checks between the region and Great Britain.

The UK agreed a new deal with the European Union called the Windsor Framework aimed at addressing issues with the previous deal, the Northern Ireland Protocol.

But the DUP said this did not go far enough and the party has been in talks with the government seeking further changes.

On the table is the UK government's offer of a £2.5bn financial package for Stormont and legislation to "protect" Northern Ireland's place in the UK internal market.

Here are the 12 DUP officers who will be involved in making the decision:

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson

The MP for Lagan Valley has been leader of the DUP since 2021.

He took on the role after a leadership revolt, brought about in part by unionist discontent over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

In protest against the post-Brexit trading arrangements, Sir Jeffrey last year withdrew his party from Northern Ireland's power-sharing government - collapsing the devolved institutions.

Gavin Robinson

The MP for Belfast East became DUP deputy leader in June.

He is one of Sir Jeffrey's closest allies, having run his leadership campaign in 2021, and has regularly appeared by his side ever since.

Lord Morrow

The DUP peer was formerly a Stormont minister and assembly member for the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency.

He is chairman of the party officer board.

Edwin Poots

The Belfast South assembly member is vice-chairman of the party officer board.

He beat Sir Jeffrey in a contest to succeed Arlene Foster as DUP leader in 2021, but quit within weeks after an internal revolt.

The former Stormont executive minister in September previously said the party would need to see something "seismic" from Downing Street to resume power-sharing.

Michelle McIlveen

The assembly member for the Strangford constituency sits on the DUP officer group as party secretary.

She has held several roles in previous Stormont executives including education minister.

Gregory Campbell

The MP for East Londonderry is treasurer for the DUP officer board.

Diane Forsythe

Ms Forsythe, who was elected in May 2022 as an assembly member for South Down, is the DUP's assistant secretary.

She quit the party in 2021 after Edwin Poots became leader, but returned under the leadership of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

Gordon Lyons

The assembly member for East Antrim is also the DUP's director of elections.

He is the party's finance spokesperson and a former Stormont minister for the economy.

Emma Little-Pengelly

Ms Little-Pengelly is an assembly member for Lagan Valley.

Under Stormont's co-option system, she was chosen by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to take his seat in the assembly days after he was elected to Stormont in May 2022.

Sir Jeffrey said after the poll he intended to remain at Westminster until his party's concerns with the Northern Ireland Protocol were resolved.

Carla Lockhart

Carla Lockhart

Ms Lockhart is MP for Upper Bann, having previously represented the constituency at the assembly.

Lord Dodds

The former DUP deputy leader has been one of the most vocal critics of the Windsor Framework.

In July, he said the deal between the UK and EU "utterly failed" to meet the party's seven tests for post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Sammy Wilson

The MP for East Antrim, one of the DUP's staunchest supporters of Brexit, has been critical of the Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework.

He described so-called red and green trade lanes taking effect under the framework in October as confirmation that "Northern Ireland has got a border in the Irish Sea".