Donaldson urges former UUP colleagues to defect to DUP

Ulster Unionist defector Jeffrey Donaldson has appealed to other members of his former party to join him in Ian Paisley’s DUP.

Mr Donaldson said UUP members who were unhappy at the party’s policies should jump ship and join the anti-agreement DUP like he did late last year.

Mr Donaldson left the UUP in protest at the policies of party leader David Trimble.

He said yesterday that he knew others were thinking about defecting following Mr Trimble’s re-election as leader on Saturday.

Mr Donaldson said the vote proved that the UUP was never going to change and added that there was a home in the DUP for anyone who disagreed with both Mr Trimble and the Good Friday Agreement.