May was one of those dramatic months in politics that many journalists and editors relish.

A Letter from News Letter Editor Alistair Bushe

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Subscribe              I N S I D E R           Jun 4, 2021             Alistair Bushe Editor Dear reader May was one of those dramatic months in politics that many journalists and editors relish.  Arlene Foster's dramatic toppling as DUP leader took place at the end of April, but the fallout and the sense of drama continued throughout the month of May. First, we had a leadership election between Edwin Poots and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, two representatives from the Lagan Valley constituency who shared the same constituency office for the best part of two decades but who were suddenly going head to head in a tense contest. Mr Poots, the agriculture minister, won that election by the closest of margins, beating the long-serving MP by just two votes but by not even mentioning his beaten rival in his post-election speech, the leader designate was hinting at divisions in the DUP that were suddenly in the public spotlight like never before.  By the end of the month, that sense of division was laid bare. It was expected that a meeting of the party executive to ratify Mr Poots's election as DUP leader would be a matter of course, but instead there was a high-profile resignation on the night itself in a south Belfast hotel, while Mr Donaldson and Mrs Foster were among those who left the meeting early before the new leader addressed the meeting.  Even after the meeting, feelings ran high, as Mr Poots's close colleague and backer, Ian Paisley Jnr, said he understood Mrs Foster's pain at losing the leadership in light of his own father's ousting as DUP leader. Mr Paisley even claimed that his father's removal as leader played a key role in his death.  The month closed with Mr Poots facing many questions, as outlined in this analysis piece written by our political editor Sam McBride.  The Ulster Unionist leadership process, which started after Steven Aiken's resignation, was infinitely more straightforward with Doug Beattie, the Upper Bann MLA and holder of the Military Cross, emerging unchallenged.  Mr Beattie's assured media performances will make him a formidable opponent for the DUP. One of my favourite pieces of the month was this Saturday interview with the former soldier, as he recalled his time in the dangerous Helmand Province in Afghanistan.  In what was also an eventful month for Arlene Foster, she won an important victory in the courts as the celebrity chef Christian Jessen was ordered to pay her £125,000 for a false social media post. She has promised to devote time after politics to highlight and combat social media trolls who have targeted women in particular.  Alistair Bushe Editor, News Letter             Sam McBride: A floundering start from DUP leader 'Edwin Foster', who does not have time on his side   Many of Edwin Poot's critics both inside and outside the DUP were dismayed at the expectation that he would lead the DUP back to the Paisleyism of decades long past.   Read more +     Sam McBride: Few have yet realised the staggering complexity behind a border poll   Within hours of the EU referendum result being announced, Gerry Adams had demanded a referendum on Irish unity.   Read more +           Poots U-turns on Dublin 'boycott' - but struggles to explain what he's doing                     Less than three weeks after saying that he had no intention of attending north-south ministerial council meetings until the Irish Sea border was removed, Edwin Poots has recanted.           Read more +     Subscribe today             Full access   Subscribe for unlimited access to all our articles, 70% fewer ads, daily puzzles and our desktop & mobile app. From just £1 . Cancel anytime.     Find out more     Gift access   Give someone a subscription for a year's unlimited access to all our articles, 70% fewer ads, daily puzzles and our desktop and mobile app. From just £79.90 for 12 months.    Find out more

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