LISTEN: DUP MLA says Arlene Foster's successor must not 'alienate' core voters

By Brett Campbell

A DUP MLA says he is looking forward to a 'root and branch' restructuring of the party following an internal revolt against its leader.

Arlene Foster announced yesterday she's standing down as party leader on the 28th of May and as First Minister at the end of June.

Jim Wells says the expression of no confidence was a result of members being split on whether the Protocol represented a major threat or new opportunities for Northern Ireland. 

“There’s no doubt we were deceived by Boris Johnson,” he said. 

“What I voted for in 2016 was not Brexit plus Protocol - it was Brexit. 

“The Protocol didn’t emerge until October 2019.

“We were promised there wouldn’t be a border down the Irish Sea, he actually said that at our party conference. 

“Maybe we were naive to believe him, but he certainly reneged on that promise - but I don’t think Arlene was being criticised for that. 

“What she was being criticised for was a lack of a coherent policy to oppose the situation we are now in.” 

However, the South Down representative, who has had the party whip removed, said Mrs Foster’s abstention from a vote on a motion calling for a ban on gay conversion therapy in the Assembly last week was the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

Prof Jon Tonge says the DUP may have just pulled off a ruthless coup with no underlying political strategy.

He believes Arlene Foster is now paying the price for being ‘suckered’ by Boris Johnson and warns her replacement has a lot of work to do before the next election. pic.twitter.com/T7tLNpAT8U

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) April 28, 2021

A defeated DUP amendment had supported banning the practice, but sought protections for “legitimate religious activities such as preaching, prayer and pastoral support” with the argument they did not amount to conversion therapy.

The amendment was also criticised for removing a line stating that it was wrong to view the LGBTQ community as requiring a "fix or cure”.

Mr Wells believes the agriculture minister Edwin Poots has the best chance of taking over the reins of the party now. 

He believes Mr Poots will appeal to the more traditional base of the party in the run up to next year’s Assembly election. 

“In the 2017 Westminster election we recorded our highest vote ever and we did that without jettisoning our views on things like gay marriage and the protection of the unborn child.” 

The former health minister isn’t worried about losing more moderate supporters to the Ulster Unionist Party or the Alliance Party. 

“I don’t think that’s an issue,” he said. 

“If we believe that by currying favour with the LGBT vote that that’s going to increase the party’s strength we’re deluded. 

“The vast majority of people who support the DUP are either totally against their demands or couldn’t care less and therefore we risk alienating our core vote for a group that will never vote for us anyhow.” 

Mr Wells is looking forward to a democratic contest for leadership of the 50-year-old party. 

“It’s always been a coronation up until now,” he said. 


“But this time around it will go through a process and I think that is  healthy for the party to go down that route because it’s important that whoever becomes the leader has the overwhelming endorsement of the party.” 

East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson and Westminster leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson are among the potential candidates for the leadership race.