Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson is to step down within weeks, according to reports this morning.
Advertisement
The 66-year-old made the announcement a day after the DUP and Sinn Fein finally agreed a deal to break a 10-week stalemate at Stormont.
Mr Robinson (66) outlined his plans in an interview with the Belfast Telegraph today and says he will not contest the next Assembly elections in May.
“I think they have a right to know what the circumstances are”.
But the veteran unionist denied that was the reason for leaving his posts.
In the event, he confirmed his exit in a pre-conference interview with the Belfast daily paper.
The DUP leader has, in recent times, faced a fierce internal revolt by a few party members, who believe he is not strong enough to represent the concerns of many unionists who have sought comfort in the hardline rhetoric of Mike Nesbitt, the former broadcaster turned leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.
The news will certainly dominate the DUP’s Annual Conference this weekend.
“There are massive pressures on anybody in this job. You do need to renew political leadership, bringing in people with perhaps more energy and people with new ideas”.
It has been a turbulent year for Mr Robinson, whose farcical decision to step aside as First Minister last September – amid a crisis over an IRA-linked murder – contributed to the near collapse of the recently rescued assembly.
No successor has been appointed yet, but Arlene Foster and Nigel Dodds have been identified as front runners.
Advertisement
He has been First Minister of Northern Ireland since 2008.
