Arlene Foster could be facing a leadership challenge after a majority of the party’s NI assembly members sign a letter calling for her removal.
It is understood that 75% of the DUP assembly members have signed the letter of no confidence with 8 out of the eighteen members said to have submitted individual letters voicing their concern.
Concerns raised are believed to include the handling of the NI protocol and her recent abstention on the vote to ban conversion therapy.
Earlier Mrs Foster told a Belfast Telegraph reporter: “Stories on leadership come up from time to time, and it’s one of those times.
“So we’ll just deal with it and move on because I’ve bigger things to do, including getting us through this COVID pandemic, including listening to the concerns of working-class communities.
“These stories come up from time to time. This is no different.
“I haven’t received any letters from constituency associations so I’m not going to get into a running commentary on these issues, they come up from time to time. I think it’s important to note that there is the big job of work to do. We have a year left of this mandate.
“It’s important that we lift our eyes and continue the work of rolling out of the restrictions, deal with the Northern Ireland Protocol.”
