Arlene Foster hasn't seen letter of no confidence or spoken to those who signed it

By PA

Arlene Foster has said none of the party colleagues who moved to oust her from leadership have spoken to her since.

Mrs Foster said she still had not seen the letter of no confidence that was signed by a majority of the DUP’s senior elected representatives.

Mrs Foster said she would wait until she steps down as First Minister at the end of June before outlining her intention on whether she will leave the DUP altogether.

The First Minister said she was “at peace with her decision” to quit local politics.

“It’s been a turbulent week, it’s been a week where I’ve had to make pretty big decisions,” she said.

“But I think the time is right to move on and to do something different, and that’s what I’ll do.”

She added: “I still haven’t seen the letter that was talked about so I presume I will see that at some stage.”

Arlene Foster confirms she will step down as DUP leader on May 28 and First Minister at the end of June following a revolt within the party.

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

On a visit to Kirkistown Primary School in Co Down, Arlene Foster said: “Politics is a very brutal game I think everybody knows that to be the case. I haven’t actually spoken to any of the colleagues who are purported to have signed the letters, they haven’t been in touch. So, you know, that’s a matter for them. I’ll move on and look forward and I’m looking forward to the next chapter as to what I’m going to do with my life.”

Arlene Foster speaking to a pupil during a visit to Kirkistown Primary School, Co Down today.

Mrs Foster said she hoped the DUP would continue to “look forward”.

“I joined a party that wanted to look forward, that wanted to build a Northern Ireland for everybody, that recognised that there was divisions in society and to try and deal with those divisions and to move Northern Ireland to a better place and I hope that’s the direction of the party that continues,” she said.

Today, I announce my candidacy for leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. I love this country and its people and I look forward to engaging with party colleagues in the days ahead. pic.twitter.com/Qesd3GTCwR

— Edwin Poots MLA (@edwinpootsmla) April 29, 2021

Arlene Foster continued: “It was made clear to me by the number of people who felt that they wanted to sign the letter, which as I say I haven’t seen yet, that I didn’t have the support of my colleagues and when you don’t have the support of your colleagues you really can’t continue in the job as party leader.

“So the time is right to move on, to do something different and do something new and I’m very much looking forward to that challenge.”

Mrs Foster made clear that some of her “very good friends” did not sign the letter of no confidence.

“I think you should also recognise that not everybody signed the letter, some very good friends did not. And I think you should note that as well,” she said.

The DUP leader added: “I haven’t really had any engagement from any of the colleagues who felt that I should leave, so I suppose that’s the disappointment – that I don’t actually know what the reason is for it, but, as I say, you know, that’s politics, all political careers have to come to an end, mine will come to an end at the end of June.”

Mrs Foster was in good spirits as she took part in a party at the primary school to mark Northern Ireland’s centenary.

Her upbeat mood carried through into her exchanges with reporters outside.

However she appeared to become emotional when speaking about how much she will miss working with constituents in Fermanagh.

Mrs Foster was repeatedly pressed on whether she had decided to leave the DUP.

She said she would outline her decision once she left the First Minister’s office.

“I’ve just stepped down as the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, I don’t leave that office until the end of May, I don’t leave the office of First Minister until the end of June and there’s a lot of things that I need to do before I leave office and then, on the 1st of July, I shall come and talk to you all, I promise,” she said.