Sinn Fein presses DUP on decision to readmit Ian Paisley

The DUP is facing calls to explain its decision to readmit Ian Paisley after he was found to have lobbied on behalf of Sri Lanka after accepting holidays from its government.

Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O’Neill has queried what she said was a lack of explanation from the DUP on why it accepted Mr Paisley as a member again.

“No further details have been provided despite the very serious nature of the scandal that Ian Paisley has been engulfed in over his links to the Sri Lankan regime,” she said.

The DUP announced it had readmitted Mr Paisley just hours after a recall petition to oust him as MP for North Antrim failed.

It was signed by 7,099 people.

The petition device was initiated after Mr Paisley was banned from the House of Commons for 30 sitting days for failing to declare two 2013 family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government.

The House of Commons Committee on Standards found that a year after the luxury holidays, Mr Paisley lobbied then prime minister David Cameron not to support a UN probe into alleged Sri Lankan human rights abuses.

The DUP suspended Mr Paisley following the report.

Three centres were opened in North Antrim for the last six weeks to give voters the opportunity to sign the petition. Constituents were also able to put their name to the petition via post.

Mr Paisley told the Press Association he was delighted with the result and thanked his constituents for their support.

He apologised to the House of Commons earlier this year, saying he had made a “genuine mistake”.

“I would like to thank my true friends, family, the electorate who have stood by me with unwavering support. Hallelujah,” Mr Paisley said.

But Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong insisted it was “not a victory” for Mr Paisley.

“Talking about his ‘endorsement’ from the electorate shows he may not have learned anything, but the fact is he remains an MP – a disgraced one,” she said.

“He has nothing to be proud of and should show some humility from this entire sorry episode.”

Ms O’Neill said the DUP should have “sacked” Mr Paisley.

“He displayed a gross lack of integrity in public office through these actions,” she said.

“Despite this, there was no hint of an apology from the DUP to either the people of North Antrim or the Tamil population.

“The DUP failed to take the appropriate action, which would have been to sack Ian Paisley.”

Earlier this year, Sinn Fein’s West Tyrone MP Barry McElduff resigned as a result of a controversy over a Twitter video in which he appeared to mock the victims of the Kingmill massacre.

Meanwhile, South Down MLA Jim Wells has been suspended by the DUP since May after criticising the party in an interview with a newspaper.

Mr Paisley also revealed he has made three complaints to the Police Service of Northern Ireland over allegations electoral law was broken over the failed recall petition.

There are rules over what can be said or published during the six weeks the petition is open, which if broken can carry potential fines and prison terms.

Northern Ireland’s chief electoral officer Virginia McVea warned Sinn Fein MLA Philip McGuigan over a video he posted to social media.

Mr Paisley said: “A number of people have breached section 124 of the election law and I have raised at least three specific complaints about individuals with police.

“It’s up to police now to take that forward. I know if I had breached the law in that way, the same people would be asking questions.”

A spokeswoman for the PSNI said: “Police have received a report in relation to comments made on social media. Inquiries are ongoing.”

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr McGuigan said: “I do not believe there was anything in the post that predicted the outcome of the petition.”