Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's resignation is "utter disaster for unionism", says former UK Unionist Party leader Robert McCartney

Robert McCartney, who was an MP for North Down from 1995 to 2001, gave his assessment of where unionism now stands after Sir Jeffrey's resignation following his charge for historical sex offences.

Sir Jeffrey stepped down as leader of the DUP with "immediate effect" after the party said he had been charged with allegations of a historical nature.

When asked about the implications of that decision, Mr McCartney stated that Sir Jeffrey's career in politics is over - irrespective of whether or not he is found guilty before the courts.

He also remarked how a split within the DUP before the Stormont return deal was agreed could rear its head yet again when party members seek to elect a new leader.

"Jeffrey's career is absolutely finished," he told the News Letter.

"First of all, he has resigned as the leader and secondly, he has been suspended from membership of the party until this matter is resolved.

"But the resignation is a final thing and it was a voluntary decision by Jeffrey. I think it means utter disaster for unionism.

"Jeffrey has effectively destroyed the electoral case for the DUP.

"The people who stood shoulder to shoulder with Jeffrey in pushing for this deal were Emma Little-Pengelly and Gavin Robinson.

"The former is Deputy First Minister and the latter is now the interim leader of the party.

"What does that tell you about how the DUP are going to fare in any subsequent election?

"I think the split was always there in the DUP.

"What are the implications for the assembly, for the future of the DUP and if the people who opposed Jeffrey's decision to take the party back into Stormont is one they seek to have reversed under a new leader?"

Sir Jeffrey's resignation means there are question marks over his Lagan Valley parliamentary constituency as an imminent by-election could be called.

With that in mind, Mr McCartney shared his fears of the DUP losing that seat plus that of Gavin Robinson's in East Belfast.

He added: "The seat in Lagan Valley was already in real doubt before this.

"What Jeffrey inherited from James Molyneaux was an over 20,000 majority but at the last election I think he only had 6,000.

"So he was under siege from the Alliance party but I can't see him or the DUP surviving, so if the former leader's seat can't be held, then what can?

"Even Gavin Robinson's seat isn't safe in east Belfast."

Whilst disagreeing with Sir Jeffrey's recent political dealings, the former leader of the UK Unionist Party acknowledged how he had sympathy for everyone involved.

"It is an absolute bombshell," he stated of the news.

"I don't like to see anyone being kicked whilst they are down but he did a lot of crowing and he's created a lot of criticism about his handling of the deal to return to Stormont.

"From a purely human and personal point of view, I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for someone who's been riding on a crest of success who is suddenly shown to have feet of clay."