Sir Jeffrey Donaldson suspended by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland pending outcome of legal process following allegations

The announcement comes after Mr Donaldson (pictured) was also suspended from the DUP after he stepped down as party leader following the charges being made public.

In a short statement, a spokesman for the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland said: “Jeffrey Donaldson’s membership has been suspended, in accordance with the rules of the Loyal Orange Institution, pending the outcome of the legal process. No further comment will be made."

Mr Donaldson continued the family tradition as he joined the Orange Order at the age of 16, where he later became an Assistant Grand Master.

Up until his suspension, he was a member of the Orangefield LOL 564 lodge in Mourne District No. 6, located 3.5 miles from Kilkeel, county Down.

As Stormont returned following a two-year impasse due to post-Brexit trade arrangements back in February, Mr Donaldson had received significant boost when a high-profile Orange Order chief declared his personal support for the package.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the deal effectively removed the Irish Sea border formed by the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol arrangement.

Orange Order Grand Secretary Mervyn Gibson had backed the deal, calling it “a win for unionist determination and unity”.

However, in the Orange Standard newspaper, Grand Master Edward Stevenson said members would take time to "carefully scrutinise" the findings in the command paper titled Safeguarding the Union.

“At this stage, we acknowledge publication of the Safeguarding the Union command paper and will now take the time necessary to carefully scrutinise its content.

“After careful consideration, it will be discussed at the Grand Lodge where members will be able to give their views.”

Before the Twelfth of July demonstrations last year, Sir Jeffrey said a shared society must be one where the Orange tradition “is not just tolerated but celebrated."