This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/northern_ireland_politics/8457931.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Robinson formally resigns as MP Inquiry into Robinson cafe affair
(about 7 hours later)
Iris Robinson, wife of DUP leader Peter Robinson, has formally resigned as an MP, the Treasury has announced. Castlereagh council has voted to hold an external investigation into its decision to award a catering contract to Iris Robinson's teenage lover.
The former Strangford MP has been at the centre of a cash procurement controversy. The council wants the inquiry to examine whether or not it suffered any financial loss by awarding the lease for Lock Keepers Inn to Kirk McCambley.
Mrs Robinson procured money from two developers to help him open the cafe.
She then attended a council meeting when the lease was awarded and broke the law by not declaring an interest.
Investigators will be also be asked to ascertain whether or not council officers and members complied with local government legislation and to examine if any impropriety took place.
The decision to agree the terms of reference was endorsed unanimously by councillors at Wednesday night's meeting.
It is expected that the council will shortly announce who will carry out the investigation and give some indication as to how long the inquiry will take.
Resignations
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Mrs Robinson has resigned as an MP, MLA and councillor.
The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly told the BBC that her decision would be formally announced to MLAs next Monday.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Treasury announced that Mrs Robinson had formally announced her resignation as MP for Strangford. Her resignation from the council was announced by its acting chief executive.
Mrs Robinson has applied for the Chiltern Hundreds, the system used by MPs who wish to resign.Mrs Robinson has applied for the Chiltern Hundreds, the system used by MPs who wish to resign.
She is also expected to leave her posts as an assembly member for Strangford and as a councillor for Castlereagh in the near future. At the weekend, the DUP said that Mrs Robinson was leaving the party.
However, a spokesman for the speaker of the Stormont Assembly confirmed on Wednesday that no letter of resignation from Mrs Robinson had been received by his office as yet.
At the weekend, the DUP said that Mrs Robinson was leaving the party and would be stepping down as an MP and MLA.
Last month, she issued a statement saying she was leaving politics due to ill health; however, news that she was stepping down came earlier than expected.Last month, she issued a statement saying she was leaving politics due to ill health; however, news that she was stepping down came earlier than expected.
In response to a query from the BBC, a DUP party spokesman said Mrs Robinson's resignation letters were "being processed".
"Our priority has been the health of Mrs Robinson. Other individuals should take this into consideration.
"As the resignations will take effect from the date on the letter, the day they are formally submitted should not be of concern," he said.
Meanwhile, Castlereagh Council will meet later to decide on the terms of its inquiry into the conduct of Mrs Robinson.
'Establish the truth'
Mrs Robinson, who is a Castlereagh councillor and a Northern Ireland Assembly Member, procured money from two property developers to help her teenage lover Kirk McCambley to open a cafe.
She then attended the council meeting during which the cafe lease was awarded to Mr McCambley but broke the law by not declaring her financial interest.
Cllr Michael Copeland said the inquiry should be independent and transparent.
Details of Mrs Robinson's financial and personal relationship with Mr McCambley, who runs the Lock Keeper's Inn cafe in south Belfast, were revealed in a BBC Spotlight programme last week.Details of Mrs Robinson's financial and personal relationship with Mr McCambley, who runs the Lock Keeper's Inn cafe in south Belfast, were revealed in a BBC Spotlight programme last week.
ROBINSON STORY SO FAR 6 January: Peter Robinson says his wife Iris tried to take her own life last March after admitting an affair with teenager Kirk McCambley 7 January: BBC's Spotlight reveals details of Iris Robinson's financial affairs - she obtained £50,000 from two property developers to help her lover launch a café and asked him for £5,000 for herself 10 January: DUP says Iris Robinson is receiving acute psychiatric treatment 11 January: Peter Robinson steps aside from his role as first minister for a six-week period - DUP colleague Arlene Foster becomes acting first minister amid renewed focus on resolving her party's problems with Stormont power-sharing colleagues Sinn Fein Timeline: Robinson allegationsROBINSON STORY SO FAR 6 January: Peter Robinson says his wife Iris tried to take her own life last March after admitting an affair with teenager Kirk McCambley 7 January: BBC's Spotlight reveals details of Iris Robinson's financial affairs - she obtained £50,000 from two property developers to help her lover launch a café and asked him for £5,000 for herself 10 January: DUP says Iris Robinson is receiving acute psychiatric treatment 11 January: Peter Robinson steps aside from his role as first minister for a six-week period - DUP colleague Arlene Foster becomes acting first minister amid renewed focus on resolving her party's problems with Stormont power-sharing colleagues Sinn Fein Timeline: Robinson allegations
Mr Copeland, who will chair Wednesday's night's council meeting, said that anyone who had watched the programme "could only conclude that Castlereagh must be seen in an open, transparent way to subject itself to investigation by an independent, outside body". The programme reported that Mrs Robinson then sought to provide Mr McCambley with capital to open the business.
The UUP councillor added that an inquiry was needed "to primary establish the truth, to examine the processes that Castlereagh Borough Council went through during the events referred to in the television programme and to rebuild the trust that is necessary between people who represent the electorate in bodies such as councils". She obtained a total of £50,000 from two developers, Fred Fraser, now deceased, and Ken Campbell to fund the project.
He described that trust as "the basis and foundation of our democracy". Spotlight reported that while Mrs Robinson was asking Mr Campbell for the money, she also lobbied on his behalf for one of his building projects in her former parliamentary constituency.
Mr Copeland explained that councillors were expected to discuss the identity of the individuals or body which will conduct the investigation and set the terms of reference to which they must adhere. Mr McCambley said he received two cheques, which he invested in kitchen equipment and furniture.
He also said that the inquiry would have "financial implications for the people of Castlereagh" but said the issue was "of such importance that getting at the truth will be the primary objective". He also told the programme that after he received the money Mrs Robinson had then asked him to give her £5,000 in cash.
The Alliance party group on Castlereagh Borough Council have already written to Northern Ireland's main public spending watchdog, the Comptroller and Auditor General, to ask for a full and independent inquiry. Spotlight reported that in July 2008, six weeks after Castlereagh Borough Council advertised for expressions of interest in the cafe project, only one applicant met the criteria - Mr McCambley.
The deal was sealed on 28 August and Iris Robinson was in attendance as the council authorised the signing of the lease.
The laws covering local government state that once Mrs Robinson had a financial interest in the business, she was obliged to declare it at any meeting she attended where it was being considered. She failed to do so.
Spotlight reported that she also broke a cluster of other rules in the Code of Conduct for councillors - as many as five elements of the code.