Jeffrey Donaldson says he was threatened over Stormont negotiations - but won’t be ‘deflected’ from securing deal

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has revealed he was threatened over his involvement in negotiations with the UK government to restore Stormont but said he would not be “deflected” from efforts to secure a deal.

In an emotional address to the House of Commons, he said the threat was issued earlier that day because of the “stirring up that is going on” within unionist factions.

He rounded on those behind it, who he said, had “never put on a uniform” and “who haven’t served our country”.

Among them was an individual who “didn’t even vote at the last election”, he said.

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Mr Donaldson spoke for five minutes without interruption during a Westminster debate on a bill for a new deadline to restore the devolved institutions by February 8th.

Next month marks the two-year anniversary of the powersharing executive’s collapse after former DUP first minister Paul Givan quit in protest at his party’s opposition to post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The DUP is coming under increasing pressure to end its boycott amid a public sector pay crisis that led to mass strike action last week.

On Wednesday, Northern Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris introduced a bill to fast track legislation that would set a deadline for fresh Assembly elections if an executive is not formed within the next fortnight.

[ Alex Kane: Jeffrey Donaldson destroyed David Trimble. Is he about to do the same to himself? ]

Pre-Christmas talks aimed at restoring Stormont ended in failure after the DUP insisted that separate negotiations with the UK government on post-Brexit trade rules were ongoing despite the Northern Secretary saying they had “effectively concluded”.

A £3.3 billion funding package by London remains on offer but is dependent on the Stormont executive’s return.

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