Ian Paisley hits out at £100k holiday allegations
The DUP MP Ian Paisley says he will refer himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
Last updated 8th Sep 2017
It follows an article in the Daily Telegraph newspaper which makes allegations about an overseas trip and a post-Brexit trade deal.
It claims the North Antrim MP and his family were given two all-expenses paid trips to Sri Lanka in 2003 which were worth £100k.
But on twitter last night Mr Paisley slammed the article as defamatory, saying it's "devoid of fact or logic" and said he is referring it to his lawyer.
In an online statement the DUP said: "Ian Paisley MP will rightly refer himself to the Commissioner for Standards. We await the outcome of that investigation.
Mr Paisley is one of 10 pro-Brexit DUP MPs helping to prop-up Theresa May's Tory administration after her snap election left her with no overall majority.
He tweeted a picture this week of himself meeting the Sri Lankan High Commissioner Amari Wijewardene to discuss NI-Sri Lanka trade deal after Brexit''.
Two days later he tweeted a picture of himself with International Trade Secretary Liam Fox discussing our trade agreements post Brexit''.
The House of Commons Code of Conduct states that MPs must declare any visit to a destination outside the UK which relates in any way to their membership of the House or to their parliamentary or political activities'' and which cost more than £300, unless they have paid for it themselves or out of parliamentary or party funds.
The rules state the MPs do not have to register family holidays, so long as they are wholly unconnected with membership of the House or with the member's parliamentary or political activities''.
Entries in the Register of Members' Interests should cover the cost of travel, hotels, meals, hospitality and car hire, and repeat visits should be registered if their combined value comes to over £300.
Mr Paisley's Register entries include a trade mission to Sri Lanka in 2012, as well as a second trip to the island that year as part of a cross-party parliamentary delegation examining post-war reconstruction, funded to the tune of £3,200 by the Colombo government.
There is no mention of the alleged trips in 2013.
Complaints over alleged breaches of the Code are investigated by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Hudson, who reports to the Commons Standards Committee.
This committee, made up of MPs and lay members, has the power to recommend sanctions such as requiring an apology or temporary suspension, subject to a vote in the Commons
Mr Paisley tweeted a picture of a letter from his solicitor, Paul Tweed.
It said: My client totally denies the defamatory inferences arising from the article in today's Daily Telegraph, including those relating to his registration obligations as an MP.
He has now referred this matter, and a full explanation, to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.'