Paisley survives attempt to oust him as MP over free holidays

Ian Paisley has narrowly survived an attempt to unseat him as a Westminster MP over a free holidays row after Parliament’s first recall petition fell just short of the threshold required to force a by-election.

Mr Paisley, who failed to declare luxury trips paid for by Sri Lanka’s government, would have been ousted as an MP if 10 per cent of the electorate in his North Antrim constituency – 7,543 voters – signed the petition. In the event, 7,099 people (9.4 per cent) signed it. The petition was launched after a Telegraph investigation revealed that Mr Paisley, a Democratic Unionist whose late father the Rev Ian Paisley founded the party and who is suspended from the DUP pending an inquiry – had received hospitality for his family worth tens of thousands of pounds.

He said: “In July I apologised for a mistake made almost six years ago. The electorate was asked to pass judgment; 90.6 per cent have accepted my apology.”