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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Ian Paisley will fight for seat if forced to stand down | Ian Paisley will fight for seat if forced to stand down |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The DUP's Ian Paisley has insisted he will fight a by-election to save his Westminster seat if he is forced to stand down. | The DUP's Ian Paisley has insisted he will fight a by-election to save his Westminster seat if he is forced to stand down. |
| Mr Paisley is facing a 30-day ban from the House of Commons for failing to declare two family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government. | |
| MPs will decide later if he should be suspended. If he is, he would be absent for some key Brexit votes. | |
| If 10% of his constituents sign a petition, a by-election will be called. | |
| Writing in the Ballymena Guardian on Tuesday, the North Antrim MP said he was prepared for whatever punishment came his way. | |
| He called those pushing for such an election "opportunists", but made it clear that he would not run away from any challenge. | He called those pushing for such an election "opportunists", but made it clear that he would not run away from any challenge. |
| If MPs accept the recommendation of the Standards Committee, Mr Paisley would be out of the chamber for 30 sitting days. | If MPs accept the recommendation of the Standards Committee, Mr Paisley would be out of the chamber for 30 sitting days. |
| That would be one of the longest bans ever to be handed down at Westminster. | That would be one of the longest bans ever to be handed down at Westminster. |
| If his ban is rubber stamped on Tuesday, he could also face a by-election if 10% of the eligible electorate in his constituency signs a petition. | |
| Enda McClafferty, BBC News NI political correspondent | Enda McClafferty, BBC News NI political correspondent |
| Much of what Ian Paisley says in his local paper this morning was included in his speech to Westminster when he apologised for not declaring two family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government. | Much of what Ian Paisley says in his local paper this morning was included in his speech to Westminster when he apologised for not declaring two family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government. |
| While he says he is prepared for whatever punishment comes his way, he also talks up his track record in the constituency - and some might see that as an early pitch to voters who may have to return to the polls. | |
| His fate is now in the hands of MPs who, if they accept the recommendation of the Standards Committee, will exclude Ian Paisley from the chamber for 30 days - one of the longest bans handed down at Westminster. | |
| Mr Paisley failed to declare two luxury family holidays in 2013 paid for by the Sri Lankan government. | Mr Paisley failed to declare two luxury family holidays in 2013 paid for by the Sri Lankan government. |
| He later lobbied the then prime minister on the country's behalf. | He later lobbied the then prime minister on the country's behalf. |
| His party is also considering if it should take action against him. | His party is also considering if it should take action against him. |
| DUP party officials met at the weekend but have yet to announce what action, if any, is to be taken | DUP party officials met at the weekend but have yet to announce what action, if any, is to be taken |