[MisterMuncher]

Little Pengelly.

Fnar.

Keeps the "Little" in case DUP grassroots forget about that time her Da nicked British army missiles to flog to Apartheid South Africa in exchange for guns to murder his neighbours.

See also Jim Shannon MP, drummed out of the TA for his part in the same thing.

Still, though, I note that the Guardian saw fit to describe O'Neill's as an "IRA family" in contrast to the bould Emma

[Spoonman]

DUP Leader Jeffery Donaldson has deleted all of his known social media accounts overnight...

This looks ominous…. For now, comments will remain closed, but this is likely to be the beginning of something big. Very big.

https://sluggerotoole.com/2024/03/29/je ... -accounts/

If the rumours going about are true, then things are very grim looking & it'll be the end of Donaldson's political career to put it very mildly. But until things come out into the open, I don't want to get MWF into potential trouble.

[Spoonman]

Update from the DUP...

"The Party Chairman has received a letter from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP confirming that he has been charged with allegations of an historical nature and indicating that he is stepping down as Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party with immediate effect.

In accordance with the Party Rules, the Party Officers have suspended Mr Donaldson from membership, pending the outcome of a judicial process.

The Party Officers have this morning unanimously appointed Mr Gavin Robinson MP as the Interim Party Leader."

https://mydup.com/news/dup-statement-3

For those unaware of him, Gavin Robinson is the current MP for East Belfast, no relation to former DUP leader Peter Robinson.

Edit: Also breaking on the beeb...

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been charged with historical sexual offences and has quit as Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader.

A 57-year-old woman has also been charged with aiding and abetting in connection with the alleged offences.

They were both arrested on Thursday morning by PSNI detectives and were questioned before being charged on Thursday night.

They are now due to appear in court next month.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68686691

[slilley]

BBC reported on their One O’Clock News the charges are historic sex offences and he will appear in court next month

[Youngian]

It’s sad for sincere party workers when their leaders are exposed as sleazy wrong ‘uns. Does tend to happen to some political parties and not others.

[Killer Whale]

Already hearing conspiracy theories about how he was stitched up for [insert your own pet prejudice(s) here] reasons, and also how he was promised immunity if he pushed through the return of power sharing and is now dispensable, or the PSNI was pressured to delay his arrest. Occam's razor seems to be an alien concept to most people on social media.

[MisterMuncher]

Jim Allister and his TUV goons never saw a soapbox they didn't like

[Spoonman]

Jim Allister and his TUV goons never saw a soapbox they didn't like

They need to be reminded of Davy Tweed.

[kreuzberger]

I am just hearing the BBC reporting that rape is involved in the charges.

That has knocked off the top of their bulletins and endless analysis, the fact that a pop star has made a record with songs on it.

[Youngian]

Seem to recall when War on Want’s accountant had proof one of its directors had his hand in the cookie jar it was all a big conspiracy.

[MisterMuncher]

The conspiracy theory, such as it is, being knocked about is that the bould Jeff was blackmailed into the current NI Protocol customs arrangements, and hence they're invalid and everyone is free of the tyranny of free trade with Europe.

I may have missed a few reports this afternoon, but I certainly haven't heard that this has been stood up by evidence

[MisterMuncher]

I am just hearing the BBC reporting that rape is involved in the charges.

That has knocked off the top of their bulletins and endless analysis, the fact that a pop star has made a record with songs on it.

That's not going to get better when they start reporting who, precisely, has made the allegations. To keep things strictly legal, Spoony is quite correct about remembering Davy Tweed, and perhaps we might ponder how Mrs Donaldson is in the frame for aiding and abetting

[satnav]

I read somewhere that Donaldson was involved in an altercation on a plane at Heathrow last week. The person he was arguing with was eventually removed from the plane. May be the two events could be linked especially if the other passenger was aware of the allegations.

[kreuzberger]

MI5 won't have had the slightest inkling, no? Lady Theresa..no..?

I hadn't considered the possibility that suggestions might come to light that the Brexit Mob had been raping children, but when considering what they did to an entire country, I suppose that anything is possible.

Are the H Blocks still a Thing?

[MisterMuncher]

Nah. It'll be Maghaberry or Magilligan, and Hydebank for the missus.

They do *still* have paramilitary/political populations kept semi-segregated, but I don't see Jeff throwing in with the UVF to cover his arse.

[Bones McCoy]

Too soon?