Statement by TUV Lagan Valley Assembly candidate Lorna Smyth:
“During the 2003 Assembly election the DUP infamously turned up outside Ulster Unionist Party headquarters to poke fun at their rivals. When UUP members, including the then leader David Trimble emerged he faced taunts of “Where’s Jeffrey?”
“Two decades later many more are asking that question after Mr Donaldson assured us that he was keen to return to the Assembly as soon as possible. In August last year for example he was asked about returning to Stormont if a vacancy arose and he responded:
“That hasn’t happened to date, but if it does happen then, obviously, I am more than keen to step forward to return to the Assembly.
“Now that Sir Jeffrey has declined the opportunity to return as an MLA for the constituency he has represented at Stormont and Westminster for a quarter of a century people are entitled to ask why.
“I wish Paul Rankin all the best as he represents Lagan Valley over the next few weeks but I wouldn’t be surprised if when he takes his seat more than I are echoing the question asked by the DUP outside UUP headquarters all those years ago.”