Politician defiant in interview in local newspaper

IAN Paisley has said those seeking a by-election after his breach of parliamentary rules are “opportunists”.

The North Antrim MP vowed to fight for his seat if he faces the electorate over his failure to declare two luxury family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government.

In March 2014 the senior DUP man lobbied PM David Cameron against a proposed United Na- tions resolution to investigate alleged human rights abuses during the civil war on the Indian Ocean island without citing his financial benefits.

MPs at Westminster decided yesterday to suspend him for a major breach of parliamentary rules.

If 10% of his constituents sign a petition, an election will be called.

Mr Paisley told his local paper, the Ballymena Guardian, he deeply regretted his actions.

He added: “There are also some who would have me booted out of Parliament and a by-election called to fill that vacancy.

“They are opportunists, some with questionable motives, and I can tell them that I have no intention of going quietly into the night.

“If a petition leads to a by-election make no mistake about it, I will seek re-election as I have never run away from an election in my life and don’t intend to do so now.”

He is one of 10 pro-Brexit DUP MPs helping to prop up Theresa May’s minority Conservative Government.

Mr Paisley has faced calls to quit after a parliamentary watchdog recommended he be suspended from the Commons for 30 days.

Mr Paisley has already denied he had any ulterior motive for that “genuine mistake” in 2013, adding that he accepted his “total failure” and offered an unreserved apology to the House of Commons.

The Commons Standards Committee said he had committed “serious misconduct” and his actions were of a nature to bring the Commons into disrepute.

The report said the cost of the hospitality may have been “significantly more” than Mr Paisley’s £50,000 estimate, with the holidays including business-class air travel, accommodation at first-class hotels and more for him and his wider family.

The trips included meeting with Sri Lankan governmental figures.

Mr Paisley told the Ballymena Guardian he had worked in the island state on many occasions, discussing the Northern Ireland peace process and its relevance internationally.

Enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, torture and other serious human rights violations and abuses were committed with impunity before, during and in the aftermath of the armed conflict between Sri Lankan government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam that ended in 2009, campaign group Amnesty International has said.