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Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has resigned as leader of the Democratic Unionist party after being charged with “historical” offences.

Donaldson, 61, led the Northern Ireland party since 2021 and has been a key player in the region’s politics since becoming an MP in 1997, including in recent talks to reconvene the Stormont power-sharing executive.

In a statement issued on Friday, the DUP said: “The party chairman has received a letter from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP confirming that he has been charged with allegations of an historical nature and indicating that he is stepping down as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party with immediate effect.

“In accordance with the party rules, the party officers have suspended Mr Donaldson from membership, pending the outcome of a judicial process.”

Donaldson, whose social media accounts were deleted overnight, will be replaced by Gavin Robinson as the DUP’s interim leader, the party said.

Donaldson is the longest-serving MP in Northern Ireland and was seen by ministers in the UK government as a key player in persuading his party to rejoin the Stormont power-sharing executive.

Two years of political paralysis in Northern Ireland ended earlier this year after the UK government presented a series of proposals to revamp Brexit trade rules and cement the region’s ties to Britain.

Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill became Northern Ireland’s first minister, while the DUP’s Emma Little-Pengelly became deputy first minister.

Prior to joining the DUP, Donaldson was part of the Ulster Unionist party’s delegation that negotiated the Good Friday peace agreement in 1998, although he disagreed with some of its provisions.