Full Breakdown
Former DUP Leader Jeffrey Donaldson Stripped of Privy Council Membership
7/10/2026, 10:35:51 PM
Core Action: Removal from the Privy Council
The Privy Council met at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday and formally ordered the removal of former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson from its membership. The decision followed Donaldson’s own request, submitted in June, to have his name taken off the list after his conviction on 18 counts of sexual abuse.
Background & Context
Jeffrey Donaldson, once the leader of Northern Ireland’s DUP, was convicted of multiple sexual-offence offences, including one count of rape, committed against two women when they were children. The convictions, handed down earlier in the year, prompted Donaldson to seek the forfeiture of both his Privy Council membership and his knighthood. While the Privy Council has acted on the former, the knighthood revocation has not yet been finalized.
Data & Statistics
Official Statements & Responses
The Privy Council issued an order confirming that Donaldson’s letter requesting removal was read aloud at the meeting and that the council “ordered that this should be carried out.” No further comment was provided regarding the pending decision on his knighthood.
Verbatim Quotes
- “An order published by the Privy Council stated that a letter sent to it by Donaldson, asking for his name to be removed from the list of members, was read out at the meeting.” — Privy Council order
- “The council met at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday and agreed to remove Donaldson's membership.” — Privy Council order
