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Breaking News: After more than five turbulent years as DUP leader, Arlene Foster’s time at the helm of Northern Ireland’s biggest party appears to be coming to an end after 75% of her MLAs signed a letter calling for a leadership contest. https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/arlene-fosters-time-as-dup-leader-coming-to-an-end-as-75-of-her-mlas-sign-letter-of-no-confidence-3216112
Another signatory to the letter says that the wording used amounted to “very clearly” saying that “we have no faith in the leadership”. That source says that either 21 or 23 MLAs have signed - if the latter, that's 85% of MLAs taking the DUP whip.
I rang Arlene Foster earlier and she didn't answer. Now the party press office has put out a statement which doesn't challenge anything reported by the News Letter but crucially alludes to internal "electoral processes". In truth, power has now shifted elsewhere in the party.
PA are reporting that Arlene Foster was due to meet Secretary of State Brandon Lewis at 5.30 this evening but pulled out at 5pm. Quite a change from the First Minister who 3 hours earlier breezily said: "These [leadership] stories come up from time to time. This is no different”.
The first direct quotes from the letter have now emerged via @StepWalkTV, who says that signatories "with regret no longer have confidence in Mrs Foster or the leadership" - that tallies with DUP sources over recent days saying they don't just want Foster out, but also Lord Dodds
This from former DUP spad @timcairns implies that if Arlene Foster refuses to resign, she could be removed by Friday & a new leader in place by then. After years of glacial progress by the First Minister's internal opponents, this is now racing along. https://twitter.com/timcairns/status/1387126509677203464
New: There are actually four sets of letters swirling around in the DUP, each of which is very bad for Arlene Foster. A letter circulating among DUP councillors says: "We call upon [sic] the immediate resignation of the leader & deputy leader." https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/letter-circulating-among-dup-councillors-tells-arlene-foster-and-nigel-dodds-to-go-immediately-3216479
