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DUP crunch meeting descends into chaos

Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

All is not well in the DUP. The once-mighty masters of Northern Irish politics last night convened a top-secret executive meeting to discuss a return to power-sharing at Stormont. But the event was spectacularly upstaged by a succession of leaks to loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, who proceeded to live-tweet the meeting. Somewhat embarrassingly, these updates also included details of apparent attempts to find out who was leaking the information to Bryson, a vocal opponent of Stormont’s return. Needless to say, such attempts were unsuccessful…

In an epic 44-long tweet threat, Bryson set out leader Jeffrey Donaldson’s remarks to his party. Among them include complaints of leaks, with every meeting getting ‘in the hands of the media in less than an hour.’ Shortly thereafter, the meeting itself was halted after, er, attendees realised it was being live-tweeted. ‘Mayhem’ ensued in Bryson’s words, with one DUP delegate accusing the attendant PSNI officers of being behind the leak.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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