Former NI first minister Ian Paisley to step down as MP
Former Northern Ireland first minister Ian Paisley steps down after 40-year stint in Westminster politics
Also In The News
|
By Adam Leveridge. |  |
Tuesday, 02, Mar 2010 10:57
By Sarah Garrod.
Former Northern Ireland first minister Ian Paisley has announced he will stand down at the upcoming general election after a 40-year stint in Westminster politics.
Mr Paisley made the announcement in an interview with a local newspaper and it is believed his son Ian Paisley Jr will face Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister in the constituency of North Antrim, which his father has held since 1970.
The veteran MP was widely expected to retire after he stepped down as Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader in 2008.
He told the Ballymena Guardian on Tuesday he had "no regrets" about deciding to share power with Sinn Fein in 2007, adding: "After a period of tough negotiations it was my view that, provided our conditions were met, the overwhelming majority of the people of Northern Ireland wanted me to do the deal, it was as simple as that."
Mr Paisley, who will be 84 next month, was first elected 40 years ago. At the last general election in 2005 he won 25,156 votes giving him a majority of nearly 18,000.