Edwin Poots ‘unaware’ of Donaldson-Beattie meeting

By David Young, PA

Former DUP leader Edwin Poots has said he was unaware of exchanges between Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and the UUP allegedly focused on him re-joining the party.

Mr Poots’s intervention comes amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Sir Jeffrey’s engagement with UUP leader Doug Beattie last summer.

Current DUP leader Sir Jeffrey has denied claims he considered joining the UUP after he lost out in an initial leadership battle with Mr Poots last year.

The Lagan Valley MP last week said he was approached by the UUP on the issue but insists he never had any intention of rejoining a party he left in 2003.

He has portrayed the exchange with the UUP as more of a conversation on achieving greater co-operation among unionists in Northern Ireland.

A short time after that meeting the political landscape shifted unexpectedly when Sir Jeffrey succeeded Mr Poots as DUP leader after his short stint at the helm of the party was ended by an internal revolt.

On Monday, Mr Beattie insisted it was “clear” that the meeting he had with Sir Jeffrey was to discuss him rejoining his party.

Mr Beattie said he has texts of exchanges with Sir Jeffrey and added that he would act to protect his integrity if his version of events was challenged.

The UUP leader said he initiated the meeting last June and that it was organised to discuss Sir Jeffrey joining his party.

Mr Poots broke his recent silence on the episode in a Tweet on Tuesday denying that he was the source of a story that first emerged last week.

“Over the past number of days some individuals in the media have been suggesting someone within the DUP leaked details of the Beattie/Donaldson meeting,” he said.

“My name has been mentioned a number of times. This is entirely untruthful.

“I and those who supported my leadership campaign last year were not aware of this meeting, nor any details of engagements that took place. It is impossible to leak something of which you know nothing about.

“The media should desist from using ‘sources’ to spread myths which have zero substance on behalf of people seeking to cause division within the DUP.”