Politics

DUP faithful will expect interim leader Gavin Robinson to steady the party

Unclear if leadership contest coming or whether Robinson keen to remain in situ permanently

Gavin Robinson is regarded as among the party's most capable representatives. Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Freya McClements
Fri Mar 29 2024 - 19:14

Gavin Robinson has been DUP deputy leader since 2023 and took over as interim leader following the shock resignation of Jeffrey Donaldson after the former leader was charged by police with sexual offences “of an historical nature”.

The 39-year-old was born and raised and still lives in East Belfast, the constituency he has represented at Westminster since 2015. He is not related to former DUP leader and first minister Peter Robinson.

The East Belfast MP is a former pupil of Grosvenor Grammar School in the east of the city. He has an undergraduate degree in law and a master’s in Irish politics from Queen’s University Belfast, and was a practising barrister before devoting himself to politics full-time.

He served on Belfast City Council from 2010 to 2015 and was lord mayor of Belfast from 2012 to 2013.

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Mr Robinson is DUP spokesman for defence and home affairs and also sits on several Westminster committees, including the European Scrutiny Committee.

[ Jeffrey Donaldson resigns as DUP leader after being charged with sex offences ]

He is on the more moderate wing of the party and was involved heavily in Brexit negotiations with the UK government in recent years. Mr Robinson was a key Donaldson ally in the former leader’s efforts to secure his party’s return to devolved government and the restoration of the Northern Assembly and Executive.

Mr Robinson is well-liked across the political spectrum and regarded as one of the DUP’s most capable representatives. He has been tipped as a potential future leader and his sudden accession to the post — albeit on an interim basis — will bring a measure of desperately needed stability to a party reeling from Friday’s developments .

[ Jeffrey Donaldson’s departure is only the beginning of a crisis ]

It is not yet clear whether there will be a leadership contest orwhether he is keen to remain as leader permanently .

One potential rival could be the current Minister for Education and former first minister Paul Givan.

Mr Robinson is also expected to face a strong challenge for his Westminster seat in the forthcoming UK general election. He has defeated the Alliance leader Naomi Long in the last three elections and holds a majority of 1,819 votes in what is the DUP’s most marginal seat.

Freya McClements

Freya McClements

Freya McClements is Northern Editor of The Irish Times

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