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| DUP MPs 'to quit Stormont seats' | DUP MPs 'to quit Stormont seats' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Any DUP assembly members who are elected to Westminster will give up their Stormont seats, with the exception of the party leader. | Any DUP assembly members who are elected to Westminster will give up their Stormont seats, with the exception of the party leader. |
| Peter Robinson made the announcement at an election event on Thursday. | Peter Robinson made the announcement at an election event on Thursday. |
| He said it was important for the party leader to maintain "the access that comes with being an MP". | He said it was important for the party leader to maintain "the access that comes with being an MP". |
| He also said the party's MPs and ministers would step down from local councils but did not indicate when this would happen. | He also said the party's MPs and ministers would step down from local councils but did not indicate when this would happen. |
| Twelve of the DUP's declared Westminster candidates, including seven sitting MPs, are also MLAs. | Twelve of the DUP's declared Westminster candidates, including seven sitting MPs, are also MLAs. |
| Mr Robinson also apologised for the DUP's failure to act to alter what he called "the systemic defects" surrounding expenses at Westminster and the European parliament. | Mr Robinson also apologised for the DUP's failure to act to alter what he called "the systemic defects" surrounding expenses at Westminster and the European parliament. |
| Mistakes | Mistakes |
| Although he said he had been given a clean bill of health from Sir Thomas Legg's audit team, Mr Robinson added: "We all need to be contrite and apologise for our failure to act." | Although he said he had been given a clean bill of health from Sir Thomas Legg's audit team, Mr Robinson added: "We all need to be contrite and apologise for our failure to act." |
| In his address Mr Robinson accepted his party had made mistakes. | In his address Mr Robinson accepted his party had made mistakes. |
| He said that in 2007 the DUP didn't do enough to explain what it did and why it did it. | He said that in 2007 the DUP didn't do enough to explain what it did and why it did it. |
| But he added he did not accept that the DUP broke its word or went back on election commitments. | But he added he did not accept that the DUP broke its word or went back on election commitments. |
| "Some of the criticisms we faced are fair but many others are not," he said. | "Some of the criticisms we faced are fair but many others are not," he said. |
| He said the DUP manifesto had made clear it was committed to restoring devolution. | He said the DUP manifesto had made clear it was committed to restoring devolution. |
| He attacked the UUP for playing politics over the devolution of policing and justice and said the it had run out of steam years ago. | He attacked the UUP for playing politics over the devolution of policing and justice and said the it had run out of steam years ago. |
| He also criticised the TUV saying the party was dividing unionists and peddling the dangerous disillusion that it had a better alternative. | He also criticised the TUV saying the party was dividing unionists and peddling the dangerous disillusion that it had a better alternative. |
| The TUV leader Jim Allister responded by calling the DUP "the enablers and deliverers of Sinn Fein rule." | |
| Mr Robinson said his party's election slogan will be "Let's keep Northern Ireland moving forward." | |
| The General Election is widely expected to be held on 6 May. | The General Election is widely expected to be held on 6 May. |