Alliance Party leader Naomi Long has called for a “fully independent investigation” following revelations concerning disgraced former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, who was convicted last week of serious sexual offences against children. Long emphasised that transparency is needed around the actions of DUP leadership members in relation to other alleged victims of Donaldson’s “predatory behaviour”.
Donaldson's Conviction and Subsequent Revelations
Donaldson, 63, is in custody awaiting sentencing after a jury at Newry Crown Court unanimously found him guilty of 18 sexual offences, including one count of rape, against two women when they were children. Since the conviction, media reports have raised questions about how much was known within the DUP about Donaldson’s conduct prior to his 2024 arrest. BBC Spotlight reported that some senior DUP figures were aware of another woman who had raised concerns about Donaldson’s behaviour but did not wish to make a formal complaint. Spotlight also reported that two senior PSNI officers observed Donaldson entering a sauna in London that marketed itself as a meeting place for gay men in 2006, despite Donaldson referring to homosexuality as “sinful” in the same year.
DUP's Response and Internal Review
In a statement on Friday night, the DUP announced a “specialised and detailed independent review into a number of issues arising” following Donaldson’s conviction. Party leader Gavin Robinson, deputy leader Michelle McIlveen, and party chairman Lord Morrow expressed being “deeply concerned” by allegations that have surfaced, including that some may have had knowledge of inappropriate behaviour never reported to party officers.
Alliance Leader's Demand for External Investigation
On Sunday evening, Naomi Long stated that only a fully independent, external review can restore confidence. “The allegations that senior figures within the DUP, and others in positions of trust, were aware of serious concerns about Jeffrey Donaldson before he became party leader are profoundly serious,” she said. “While it must always be for victims themselves to decide whether to report matters to the police, that does not absolve others of safeguarding responsibilities. There must be full transparency around who knew what and when, what action was taken, and whether appropriate safeguarding procedures were followed. Public confidence cannot be restored through internal party processes alone. Only a genuinely independent investigation can establish the full facts.”
Former DUP Adviser Expresses Concerns
Former DUP special adviser David Graham indicated it will be hard to rebuild trust amid a “drip feed of negativity”. He told BBC Northern Ireland’s Sunday Politics programme: “The DUP have had some significant political crises in the last 20 years, this blows them all out of the water, and by some distance. I think that this is damaging to the point of potentially beyond repair.” Graham noted that while he believes no one within the party was aware of the reasons for Donaldson’s conviction, the challenge for the DUP is the ongoing revelations from former senior party members indicating they knew about Donaldson’s lifestyle. He expressed sympathy for Gavin Robinson but questioned the “deafening silence” from others. Graham also warned that public trust in the DUP has “deteriorated so much” that it may be “very difficult” for the review to be seen as independent and trustworthy.
Opposition Leader Calls for Honesty
Stormont Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole of the SDLP described the situation as a “very significant moment”. He called for clarity on what action was taken regarding complaints or allegations, and urged the DUP to be “humble and honest” about the revelations. O’Toole highlighted the hypocrisy of Donaldson’s actions given the DUP’s stance on equal marriage and sex education, stating: “I don’t care bluntly whether someone is gay or what their sexuality is, or whether Jeffrey Donaldson goes into a gay sauna, but it is a grotesque hypocrisy whenever we have revelations like this at the same time as the DUP were blocking equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples and when they were blocking sex education in our schools. That cannot go on, and that is something the DUP is going to have to think about.”
