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I will not quit as MP, says DUP's Ian Paisley | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Ian Paisley, the MP for North Antrim, has said he would have resigned if he had thought he had done anything to warrant it. | |
In July, MPs voted to suspend him from the House of Commons after failing to declare holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government. | |
"If I believed that I'd done anything that deserved me to resign from my job I would not be there today," he said. | "If I believed that I'd done anything that deserved me to resign from my job I would not be there today," he said. |
He could lose his role as an MP if 10% of his constituents sign a petition. | |
Mr Paisley has also been suspended by the DUP while it investigates his conduct. | |
Voters in his constituency have been signing a recall ballot, which opened this month, calling for him to face a by-election. | Voters in his constituency have been signing a recall ballot, which opened this month, calling for him to face a by-election. |
'Let that stand' | 'Let that stand' |
Speaking to the BBC's Talkback, he said he had "been very quiet" about his suspension since he made a statement about it at Westminster last month. | Speaking to the BBC's Talkback, he said he had "been very quiet" about his suspension since he made a statement about it at Westminster last month. |
"I've let that stand - I have accepted the report from the House of Commons and apologised for it." | "I've let that stand - I have accepted the report from the House of Commons and apologised for it." |
Mr Paisley went on three luxury holidays to Sri Lanka in 2013 at the expense of the country's government. | Mr Paisley went on three luxury holidays to Sri Lanka in 2013 at the expense of the country's government. |
The next year he wrote to the prime minister to lobby against supporting a UN resolution on Sri Lanka about alleged human rights abuses in the country. | The next year he wrote to the prime minister to lobby against supporting a UN resolution on Sri Lanka about alleged human rights abuses in the country. |
A Westminster standards committee found that Mr Paisley had breached the rule against paid advocacy by failing to declare his trips. | A Westminster standards committee found that Mr Paisley had breached the rule against paid advocacy by failing to declare his trips. |
It also concluded that the cost of the holidays was "much higher" than the £50,000 that Mr Paisley estimated. | It also concluded that the cost of the holidays was "much higher" than the £50,000 that Mr Paisley estimated. |
He was suspended from the Commons for 30 sitting days - it is one of the longest bans ever to be handed down at Westminster. | He was suspended from the Commons for 30 sitting days - it is one of the longest bans ever to be handed down at Westminster. |
Mr Paisley has insisted he will fight a by-election to save his Commons seat if voters force him to stand down. | Mr Paisley has insisted he will fight a by-election to save his Commons seat if voters force him to stand down. |
On Monday, he apologised to some DUP supporters at a meeting in North Antrim. | On Monday, he apologised to some DUP supporters at a meeting in North Antrim. |
The DUP councillor John Finlay, who organised the meeting, said those who attended it were "very courteous and supportive to him". | The DUP councillor John Finlay, who organised the meeting, said those who attended it were "very courteous and supportive to him". |
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