Could the Jeffrey Donaldson case change the course of Northern Ireland’s history?
The conviction of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson for sexual offenses has sparked intense political debate in Northern Ireland. Commentators are questioning whether his past political U-turns were influenced by potential blackmail related to his criminal activities.
Why it matters
The scandal surrounding a major political figure could have long-term implications for the stability of Northern Ireland's power-sharing institutions and the DUP's political future.
I have been listening to a most interesting Irish Times podcast with the Northern Ireland commentator and former Ulster Unionist press officer, Alex Kane, about the political impact of the court judgement last month that found former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson guilty of rape and sexual abuse of two very young girls (and reading a follow-up article by Kane in that newspaper). 1
Kane detailed Donaldson’s astonishing list of sins, quite apart from the rape and abuse conviction, calling him “a thoroughgoing hypocrite” who, while “cloaked in evangelical Christianity” condemned homosexuality, drunkenly wandered around the Houses of Parliament slugging wine; ‘projectile vomited’ over the Mayor of Beijing during a visit to China; frequented gay saunas; added the purchase of porn films to his parliamentary expenses claim form, and had a number of extra-marital affairs (one of which led to his wife bugging his car).
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