Church to make decision on Paisley as leader

Members of Paisley’s Free Presbyterian Church will tonight decide if he will be replaced as leader of the denomination.

Ministers and elders of the church will gather at Dungannon Free Presbyterian Church to elect a leader.

The meeting was rescheduled from earlier this month and follows moves last September to persuade the Stormont First Minister to stand down as the head of the Church.

Ballymena Minister John Greer and Armagh cleric the Reverend Ron Johnstone have been tipped as possible contenders to replace Mr Paisley.

However, there has also been speculation that the Democratic Unionist leader’s name might be put forward again despite last September’s move to persuade him to stand down.

Mr Paisley has been criticised by some members of his Church for going into government with Sinn Féin.

The Reverend Ivan Foster has been among those clergymen within the Free Presbyterian Church who has publicly expressed unease about Mr Paisley’s public appearances with the Sinn Féin Deputy First Minster Martin McGuinness.

In the run up to tonight’s meeting it has also been claimed that the 81-year-old North Antrim MP could have an honorary Presidential role created for him.

The meeting will also take place following speculation about Mr Paisley’s political future.

His Democratic Unionist Party yesterday denied claims that he was preparing to retire as an MP at the next General Election, fuelling speculation that he could also be planning to retire as party leader and First Minister.

The party, however, said the claims were unfounded.