UUP Appoints Independent Expert to Review Donaldson's Two Decades in Party as Safeguarding Probe Opens
The Ulster Unionist Party has appointed Anne Marks, a safeguarding consultant with more than 30 years of experience in trauma and victim-survivor support, to lead an independent review of Jeffrey Donaldson's 21-year membership of the party. The review, announced on 16 September 2026, will examine whether the UUP received any reports about Donaldson's conduct during his time in its ranks and how it responded, with submissions open until 14 October 2026.
Background
Jeffrey Donaldson served as a member of the Ulster Unionist Party from 1982 to 2003, during which time he held a series of prominent roles including membership of the Ulster Unionist Council and election as MP for Lagan Valley in 1997. He left the UUP in 2003 to join the Democratic Unionist Party, where he rose to become leader before his arrest and subsequent conviction for 18 sex offences committed between 1985 and 2008, including rape. Donaldson is currently held at Maghaberry Prison awaiting sentencing.
The conviction prompted a wave of institutional reviews across the organisations with which Donaldson was associated during his political career. The DUP, which he led until his arrest in 2024, has conducted its own internal review. The Northern Ireland Civil Service, where Donaldson held a position earlier in his career, has also examined its records. The UUP's decision to commission an independent review reflects the recognition that his 21-year membership of the party — spanning a period during which some of the offences were committed — requires careful scrutiny.
UUP leader Jon Burrows described the review as necessary to address what he called a "serious breach of trust" and to determine whether the party should have acted differently at any point during Donaldson's membership. He emphasised that the review was not about political point-scoring but about accountability to victims and to the public.
Key Developments
Anne Marks, the appointed reviewer, has extensive experience working with victim-survivor groups across Northern Ireland and has previously conducted safeguarding reviews for a number of public and voluntary sector organisations. She will be supported by an advisory group comprising independent victim advocates, and the review has been designed in consultation with several victims' organisations including the Men's Advisory Project, Nexus NI, the NI Survivor Council, Victim Support NI, and Women's Aid.
The scope of the review is described as "deliberately broad," encompassing not only allegations of sexual misconduct but also harassment, bullying, misogyny, intimidation, and the abuse of status or authority. Current and former UUP members, staff, volunteers, elected representatives, and members of the public are invited to submit information through a confidential channel established for the purpose. Any information requiring disclosure under the law will be referred directly to the PSNI.
Submissions close on 14 October 2026, after which Marks will produce a report detailing her findings and recommendations. The UUP has committed to publishing the report to the fullest extent legally possible, subject to any constraints arising from the ongoing criminal proceedings against Donaldson.
Why It Matters
The UUP review is part of a broader reckoning with how political parties and institutions in Northern Ireland handle allegations of misconduct by powerful figures. The Donaldson case has exposed the extent to which status and authority can shield individuals from scrutiny, and the reviews now underway across multiple organisations represent an attempt — however belated — to understand how that shielding operated and what systemic changes are needed to prevent it recurring. For the UUP specifically, the review carries particular significance because the party was Donaldson's political home during the formative years of his career and during a period when some of the offences were committed. The question of whether any reports were made to the party and how they were handled is one that victims and the public have a legitimate interest in seeing answered clearly and honestly.
Local Impact
The review has been welcomed by victims' organisations across Northern Ireland, including those based in Belfast, Derry, and Newry. The confidential submission process is designed to be accessible to people across the six counties, with online and postal options available. The UUP has indicated that it will hold information sessions in a number of locations to explain the process to potential contributors. The party's constituency offices in Lagan Valley, Upper Bann, and North Down have been briefed on the review and are prepared to direct enquiries to the appropriate channel.
What's Next
Submissions to the review close on 14 October 2026. Anne Marks is expected to complete her report by early 2027, with a publication date to be confirmed once the report has been reviewed for any legally sensitive content. The UUP has said it will respond publicly to the findings and will bring forward any recommended policy or procedural changes at its next annual conference. Jeffrey Donaldson's sentencing hearing is expected to take place before the end of 2026.
