News / Politics

DUP leader Arlene Foster fighting for her political life

Tuesday, 27 April 2021 5:58 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 27 April 2021 6:01 PM ]

Arlene Foster faces an uphill task in trying to defeat the challenge to her leadership

Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Arlene Foster, is fighting for her political life as the bulk of her party appears to be clamoring for her ouster.

According to the Belfast News Letter (April 27), 75 percent of the Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) Northern Ireland Assembly members have signed a letter of no confidence demanding a leadership contest.

The BBC is also reporting that besides the 21 MLSs (Members of the Legislative Assembly), four DUP MPs and one peer have also signed the letter.

In addition, DUP councilors have dispatched a letter to the party chairman, Lord Morrow, stating they were “severely worried” about the state of the party and the British-controlled territory.

"We as councilors and as members are deeply concerned about the future of unionism, Ulster conservatism and the DUP", the letter states."As members and councilors, we have received the brunt of the anger from our voter base caused by ineffective leadership", the councilors complain.

According to multiple reports, the internal rebellion is driven by Foster’s perceived mismanagement of the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit deal, which has effectively placed border controls down the Irish Sea.

Post-Brexit rules are ‘damaging Northern Ireland’, says DUP minister...

Unionists are fundamentally opposed to border controls as that serves to weaken Northern Ireland’s ties to the rest of the UK.

News of deep unrest in the DUP comes in the wake of 12 consecutive nights of rioting by loyalist gangs across Northern Ireland.

Irish leader Micheál Martin warns of return to conflict in Northern...

Similar to their unionist ideological compatriots, violent loyalist groups are incensed at the implications of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

For her part, Foster has put on a brave face to confront what appears to be a mortal challenge to her leadership of the DUP and by extension her position as Northern Ireland’s First Minister.

"Stories on leadership come up from time to time, and it's one of those times”, Foster said.

"So we'll just deal with it and move on because I've bigger things to do, including getting us through this COVID pandemic, including listening to the concerns of working-class communities”, she added.

DUP leader displays deep anxiety about prospect of Irish unity...

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk