Northern Ireland

Deirdre Heenan: For Jeffrey Donaldson, party unity is more important than the North’s citizens

Those who hoped the DUP leader’s speech to his party’s conference would show a willingness to set out a roadmap for a return to Stormont were left disappointed

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader, DUP: if there was any doubt that he is struggling to hold together his party, it was dispelled when the DUP conference saw attempts to present a coherent message collapse into the usual mix of contradictions

If there was any doubt that Jeffrey Donaldson is struggling to hold together his fractured party, it was dispelled last week when the DUP conference saw attempts to present a united and coherent message collapse into the usual mix of contradictions and confusion.

Donaldson’s speech offered little if anything new, and provided no clarity on if and when he intends to take his party back to Stormont. Those hoping for a signal that he was ...