THERE was silence from the DUP Fermanagh South Tyrone camp yesterday morning following reports that Councillor Deborah Erskine is the favoured choice to replace Fermanagh South Tyrone MLA, and former DUP Leader and First Minister, Arlene Foster, when Mrs. Foster quits politics in the near future.

It is believed that Mrs. Foster still intends to step away from politics despite former Ulster Unionist colleague Sir Jeffrey Donaldson taking on the leadership role after Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots was ousted from the role.

However, Mrs. Foster has not yet stepped away from her role, despite alluding to leaving the political stage and the DUP when she announced her intention to stand down as First Minister and DUP leader in April.

She is still an MLA for Fermanagh South Tyrone – a seat she has held since 2003 – but it is expected she will step down before next year’s Assembly election. 

There has been speculation that Mrs. Foster will step down in the coming weeks.

When contacted by The Impartial Reporter, Councillor Erskine declined to comment on the matter.

It is believed that Councillor Erskine was the favoured councillor to take the role of chairperson of the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, but Councillor Errol Thompson instead took up the role.

Councillor Erskine was first elected to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council in May, 2019, to the ward of Erne North.

Prior to this Councillor Erskine worked as a press officer for the DUP, and as a journalist. She is widely viewed as a close ally of Mrs. Foster, who served as Councillor Erskine’s election agent during the Council elections.