Deirdre Heenan: Donaldson leading from a distance rather than from the front

The DUP leader’s appointment as trade envoy to Cameroon is at odds with his declared intention to return to Stormont as soon as possible

Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the DUP: what message does expanding his duties for the British government send to the people of Northern Ireland? Picture: Getty

One might have assumed that the top priority for Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), would be to get back to Stormont as soon as possible and stamp his imprimatur on his beleaguered party. Leading from London is far from ideal.

Given the unenviable challenges faced by Donaldson, the revelation last week that he had accepted an appointment as UK trade envoy to Cameroon was greeted with some surprise. What, if ...