Paisley dismisses retirement rumours
Ian Paisley’s spokesman today dismissed claims that the Stormont First Minister is preparing to step down as a Member of the British Parliament at the next general election.
As the North Antrim MP met power-sharing cabinet colleagues to discuss their Budget and Programme for Government, a spokesman for the North Antrim MP rejected a report in a Dublin newspaper that a timetable was being discussed for the handing over of his leadership to his successor.
A spokesman said: “The article appearing in today’s newspapers can be dismissed as purely unfounded press speculation with no factual basis whatsoever.”
DUP Culture Minister Edwin Poots also said during a radio interview today that it was the first time he had heard the claims.
A rumour swept Stormont on Monday that a plan had been drawn up for the 81-year-old DUP leader to stand down as First Minister within weeks, with deputy leader and Finance Minister Peter Robinson taking over and Economy Minister Nigel Dodds moving into his role.
This has been dismissed by sources close to the First Minister.
“Hardly a week goes by without this sort of speculation,” one said.
“The First Minister has stated very clearly his intentions and we will not be giving any credibility to these rumours.”
A report in the Irish Times also suggested today that a majority of DUP MPs were privately indicating that their leader should declare his intention to stand down sooner rather than later.
It was claimed MPs held private discussions last month about a possible approach to their leader to discuss his future.
Other DUP sources have claimed a succession plan has been discussed but that it is by no means agreed.
The speculation follows controversy over the lobbying activities of Mr Paisley’s son Ian Junior, who is a junior minister in the Stormont Executive, at the October 2006 St Andrews talks.
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