Paisley Jr faces inquiry into £100,000 Sri Lanka holidays

ONE OF the Northern Ireland MPS propping up the Government is facing a parliamentary inquiry after an investigation by The Daily Telegraph revealed he accepted holidays worth £100,000 from a state for which he is helping secure a post-brexit trade deal.

Ian Paisley Jr said he had referred himself to Kathryn Hudson, the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. This followed concerns by MPS that the DUP member might be helping to broker a “back-door trade agreement” for Sri Lanka. Yesterday Transparency International, a campaign group, said Mrs Hudson should investigate as a priority, following claims Mr Paisley did not declare the trips in the Commons register of interests.

Today The Telegraph can disclose that the holidays were organised by a Sri Lankan official who has since become embroiled in a case brought by the country’s Corruption Commission, whose charges he denies. Sajin De Vass Gunawardena hosted a dinner for Mr Paisley in London in January 2013.

Mr Paisley later wrote in an email seen by The Telegraph to ask if it was possible to make a visit. Mr Paisley subsequently took his wife and children to Sri Lanka for luxury holidays.

He initially declined to answer questions about the findings, including discussions he had with Mr Gunawardena about a potential oil deal. But yesterday he said: “I can categorically state that I have never brokered any oil deal for this gentleman or anyone else.”

He also tweeted a statement from his lawyer saying: “My client totally denies the defamatory inferences arising from the article in today’s Daily Telegraph … He has now referred this matter, and a full explanation, to the Commissioner.”