Ministers asked for more details on MoD payments to Donaldson for ‘peace work’
The Government has been asked why the Ministry of Defence (MoD) paid former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson nearly £12,000 in “peacekeeping consultancy fees” while he was an MP.
Jim Allister, leader of Traditional Unionist Voice, asked Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis why Donaldson – who was convicted of child sex offences in June – was paid to carry out the work for Cameroon.
Mr Allister said the MoD had confirmed the figure to him on Monday for work in 2018 and 2019.
Former DUP leader Donaldson was convicted of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to abuse of two women when they were children.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Allister said: “Today the department confirmed to me in a written answer that over the years 2018 to 2019 the Ministry of Defence paid almost £12,000 to Jeffrey Donaldson in respect of a peacekeeping consultancy for the Cameroons.
“How common is it that sitting members of Parliament are paid consultancy fees, and who else has been paid?”
Mr Jarvis replied: “I’m not aware of the detail that he raises but if he’d like to write to me, I’ll look very carefully at it.”
The information was confirmed by defence minister Calvin Bailey on Monday. The overall amount paid was £11,751.54.
Mr Bailey said: “The Ministry of Defence authorised payments to Donaldson, for consultancy work advising the UK Government on the anglophile crisis and assisting in the development of a peace process plan for the government of Cameroon.
“(He) had previously been involved in several successful peace processes including Northern Ireland and Colombia.”
Donaldson was an MP for Lagan Valley, which covers parts of Co Antrim and Co Down in Northern Ireland, from 1997 to 2024. He stood down at the election that year, with his seat being taken by Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood.
He had been leader of the DUP for nearly three years until March 2024 when he resigned after being charged with rape and other historical sexual crimes.
The party has commissioned an “unprecedented” review of Donaldson’s behaviour, with it launched by current party leader Gavin Robinson last week. It has not been announced who will lead the review.
Since his conviction, subsequent media reports have raised questions about how much was known within the DUP about Donaldson’s wider conduct in the period prior to his 2024 arrest.