TUV call for Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to resign and allow a Lagan Valley by-election - but Alliance on fence

The former DUP leader was charged with the offences last month – charges he says he will strenuously contest.

However, the Alliance Party has declined to join the TUV call for an election – despite its campaign in the constituency being effectively underway.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson remains the MP for Lagan Valley but is currently not attending parliament and cannot vote. The TUV leader says the situation cannot continue.

Mr Allister said: “With Lagan Valley facing months of no voice and no representation in the House of Commons Jeffrey Donaldson should resign and allow a by-election. His days of representing Lagan Valley are clearly over. So, he should do the right thing and step aside to facilitate a by-election.“This constituency already has the ignominy of having an unelected MLA, following Jeffrey Donaldson’s refusal to serve Lagan Valley in Stormont, despite standing for election for that purpose.

“Now, it has no voice in Parliament. That is not good enough nor reflective of the interests of the people of Lagan Valley. Accordingly, a by-election is now required.”

The TUV have formed an electoral alliance with Reform UK for the upcoming general election. The parties haven’t selected candidates as yet, but a potential candidate is Lorna Smyth. The RAF veteran ran in the Lagan Valley constituency for TUV in the last Assembly election.

Alliance – who will pose a big challenge the DUP when an election is called – wouldn’t commit to calling for a by-election. A spokesperson said: “As there is a live investigation, we will not be commenting any further”.

However, the party’s campaign in the area is effectively under way. It had two teams of activists knocking doors in a new part of the constituency this week. Its MLA Sorcha Eastwood has a high profile in Lagan Valley. On Monday she was out leafleting in Dollingstown and posted on the social media platform X saying: “We have a real chance to make positive history in Lagan Valley & team Alliance are out every day working for a better future for us all”. In an accompanying video Ms Eastwood said “We’re not taking anything for granted”.

Despite being a solidly unionist seat, there is a strong chance that a fractured unionist vote could see an Alliance victory.

Only Sir Jeffrey Donaldson can make the decision to resign his position, the DUP have no say in the matter. However, many in the party will be reluctant to fight a by-election so soon after Mr Donaldson’s resignation.

The party hasn’t yet selected a candidate, however suggested names include Emma Little Pengelly, Paul Givan, Edwin Poots and Jonathan Buckley.

Independent unionist Lisburn councillor Gary Hynds – who has run for Westminster in Lagan Valley previously – says a by-election would be a waste of time.

“The people of Lagan Valley deserve representation. However, a by-election will take 2 or 3 months to happen, and there is already a general election scheduled to place this year. So, a by-election at this stage would see a lot of public money spent for a new MP to barely get the seat warm (if they are lucky).

“Then we would see another election with another campaign and more public money spent almost immediately after. I think people would prefer politicians here to get on with their current jobs rather than get distracted by a needless by-election, especially those only just back to work at Stormont. There is much to be done. They need to get on with it”, he said.

It is understood that there is nothing to prevent Sir Jeffrey attending parliament, but that the DUP have informed Commons authorities that he will not be attending. He does not have a proxy vote, but future changes to the rules could allow that for a period of up to seven months.

The House of Commons is considering proposals to exclude MPs from the Parliamentary Estate in certain circumstances, following a risk assessment. A government amendment brought by Penny Mordaunt proposed that “the threshold for risk based exclusion should be when a Member has been charged with a relevant offence”. The proposals have not yet passed.