Politics

Edwin Poots could face vote of no confidence

 DUP leader Edwin Poots arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers this afternoon. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire
 DUP leader Edwin Poots arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers this afternoon. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire  DUP leader Edwin Poots arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers this afternoon. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Edwin Poots could face a vote of no confidence, weeks into his leadership of the DUP.

Ahead of a meetingof party officers this afternoon DUP MP Sammy Wilson says any leader who does not have the support of party officers will "find it very difficult" to stay in their position.

Mr Wilson made the comments as he arrived for a meeting of party officers at the DUP headquarters in Belfast this afternoon, following party leader Edwin Poots' decision to nominate a first minister despite a request from the most senior party members to delay nomination.

Asked if Edwin Poots would survive a vote of no confidence, Mr Wilson said: "It wouldn't be a final decision, it would be decision by the executive.

"I think that any leader who doesn't have the confidence of party officers and didn't have the confidence of their Assembly group and their MPs will find it very difficult to stay in their position.

"You cannot lead people who are not following you. If you have no followers, you can't be a leader, can you?"

 DUP MP Sammy Wilson arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.
 DUP MP Sammy Wilson arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.  DUP MP Sammy Wilson arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.

Asked if Paul Givan would remain as first minister if Edwin Poots loses the confidence of his party, Mr Wilson added: "Again, that's the issue. If Edwin is no longer leader, then whoever did become leader would have the choice of the first minister.

"These are all decisions we have got to make.

"The one thing I can tell you is that there is no appetite for a situation where we have an Assembly which can have its powers stripped from it by the Secretary of State at a whim simply because Sinn Féin demand that they get something that they can't persuade others in the Assembly to deliver for them.

"That is no basis to have devolution.

"They wouldn't do it in Scotland, it wouldn't be tolerated in Wales and it shouldn't be tolerated by anybody, not just the DUP, any self-respecting party in Northern Ireland."

Arriving at the meeting, DUP party chairman Lord Morrow told reporters "you'll have to wait and see" when asked if there would be a vote of no confidence in Mr Poots.

Any vote of no confidence by the officers would not force Mr Poots from his role but it would heap pressure on his leadership.

DUP leader Edwin Poots did not speak to waiting reporters on the way in to the meeting.

 DUP leader Edwin Poots arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers this afternoon. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire
 DUP leader Edwin Poots arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers this afternoon. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire  DUP leader Edwin Poots arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers this afternoon. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Read more: DUP infighting continues as internal meeting turns into 'total shambles'

 DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.
 DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.  DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.
 DUP MLA Peter Weir arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.
 DUP MLA Peter Weir arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.  DUP MLA Peter Weir arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.
 DUP MLA Peter Weir arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.
 DUP MLA Peter Weir arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.  DUP MLA Peter Weir arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.
 DUP party chairman Lord Morrow arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.
 DUP party chairman Lord Morrow arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.  DUP party chairman Lord Morrow arrives at the DUP headquarters in Belfast for a meeting of the party officers.