Robinson expected to focus on rebuild at DUP conference

The DUP is holding its first party conference since it was forced to change its leader earlier this year.

Gavin Robinson will give his inaugural address as leader since he took over from Jeffrey Donaldson.

Mr Donaldson stepped down in March when he was arrested and charged with a number of sex offences.

He denies all the charges.

Mr Robinson leads a party which has been through a turbulent period.

In February it agreed to restore power-sharing at Stormont following a two-year boycott over the Irish Sea border.

It went back into the institutions on the basis of a deal negotiated by Mr Donaldson and is now filling the Deputy First Minister position there alongside First Minister Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Féin.

The conference comes just months after the DUP lost three Westminster seats in the UK general election, including that of long-standing MP Ian Paisley, the son of its founder member.

Mr Robinson is expected to focus on rebuilding the party.

The challenge will be to put it on the best footing possible for the next Assembly election in two and a half years time.