Jeffrey Donaldson tells party colleagues he’s running for DUP leadership

The PA news agency understands Mr Donaldson sent a letter to MPs and Assembly members on Monday morning informing them of his decision.

PA understands the party's current Westminster leader will make an official announcement later on Monday morning.

His entry in the race to succeed the deposed Arlene Foster will mean the DUP is set for its first-ever leadership contest in its 50-year history.

Stormont Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots announced his candidature last week.

Mr Donaldson will be seen as the moderate candidate against the more hard-line Mr Poots, who also represents the Lagan Valley constituency, as an Assembly member.

Mrs Foster resigned last week after an internal revolt against her leadership.

The move came in the form of a letter of no confidence signed by a majority of the party's senior elected representatives.

Mr Poots, understood to have been one of the key figures behind the heave against her, announced his leadership bid within 24 hours of Mrs Foster's resignation statement.

The outgoing DUP leader will step down from that role on May 28, and as Stormont First Minister at the end of June.

A small electorate, comprising just the party's MLAs and MPs, will decide the leadership contest.

Mr Donaldson’s expected announcement on Monday will coincide with the date viewed by many historians as the centenary of the creation of Northern Ireland.

On Sunday it emerged that Mr Poots would not take on the First Minister's job if he was elected DUP leader, instead appointing an Assembly colleague to the role as he concentrates on the leadership.

If Mr Donaldson won the leadership and remained as an MP at Westminster he would not be able take up the First Minister's job.

Discontent at the DUP's Brexit strategy was a major factor in the move against Mrs Foster, with party rank-and-file laying some of the blame for the emergence of an Irish Sea border at her door.

Traditionalists from the party's religious fundamentalist wing also harboured concerns over positions Mrs Foster has taken on some social issues, in particular her decision to abstain in a recent Assembly vote on a proposed ban on gay conversion therapy - a proposal the majority of her party colleagues opposed.

Outgoing DUP leader Arlene Foster said yesterday she still has no idea why she was forced out, four days after announcing her resignation as Northern Ireland First Minister and party leader.

Ms Foster did not rule out misogyny playing some role in events that led party members to threaten a vote of no confidence in her leadership, which led to her announcement she was stepping down from both positions.

“I still haven’t received the letter, or motion, or whatever it is that was signed by members of the party, so I can’t say what the reasons are behind the decision for people to ask me to move on,” she said as she attended an event to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland at St Patrick’s Church in Coleraine, Co Derry.

“But whatever about all of that, I’ve made my decision. It’s now up to the party to decide on a new leader for the way forward, so I wish them the best for that.”

Asked if misogyny played a role in the decision to oust her, she said: “I haven’t seen the letter so I’m unclear as to the reasons why, so we’ll wait and see what comes out when I receive that.”

Ms Foster will stand down as DUP leader at the end of May and as First Minister next month. However, she may be asked to step down as First Minister earlier.

Yesterday, she would not say who she would like to see succeed her.

“Well of course the leadership election hasn’t started yet, the officers haven’t set out the plan as yet,” she said. “So we’ll see who the choice is when the candidates come forward and then I’ll make my decision.”