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The DUP leader was giving an interview to the News Letter this morning at the Ulster University Jordanstown count centre, where he had secured a landslide result for himself in his own constituency of Lagan Valley.

But the bigger picture is that the DUP have been left trailing Sinn Fein by six seats, at time of writing.

Sir Jeffrey was quizzed about this and said: “I don’t think we have shrunk drastically. It looks at the end of the day that we may go down from 27 to 25 – and of course Alex Easton [who quit the DUP in disgust last year over its internal leadership bickering] held his seat in North Down.

“So I don’t think at the end of the day, by any measure, this is a drastic result for the DUP.

“I think the DUP continues to have really solid foundations.”

He was also asked about a theme which he and his top party crew had been returning to throughout the Friday / Saturday counting process: namely, unionist unity.

“A divided unionism does not deliver additional seats,” he said.

He had spoken about wishing to talk with other unionist party leaders about this matter in the wake of the election.

But he was asked what would happen if the likes of the UUP and TUV simply do not wish to merge.

“I’m not talking about formal mergers,” he said.

“But unionism is a broad church and we recognise that. Within that broad church we have so much common ground...

“When you think of the things upon which we are divided they pale alongside those things that unite us.”

He wishes to meet the other unionist parties to “[look] at ways in which we can co-operate more fully in the future”.

But if he isn’t talking abut a formal merger of parties, then what is his plan?

“I’m talking about the first steps towards greater unionist unity in the future,” he said.

“I’m not at this stage seeking to define what that looks like.”

Pressed again about a party merger, he said: “I rule nothing out.”

He was also asked about his leadership, and whether it is now in question.

“That of course is a matter for the party,” he said.

“But I’ve every intention of working with my colleagues to build upon the strong foundations of the DUP’s success in this election campaign.”

ELECTION 2022: WATCH Sir Jeffrey Donaldson interview – leader speaks of DUP success saying ‘this is not a drastic result for us by any measure’