Ian Paisley Junior steps down

The DUP's Ian Paisley Jnr. Has stepped down as junior minister in the Northern Executive.

He has quit after pressure following claims about his lobbying and developer links.

Announcing his resignation Ian Paisley Junior said he was not going because of some hidden or some revealed wrongdoing on his part.

The junior minister said he was not going to stand down as Assembly member for North Antrim.

He conceded that a series of stories about his lobbying on behalf of North Antrim businessman Seymour Sweeney, who was behind a failed bid to build a privately-run visitors' centre at the Giant's Causeway, had taken their toll.

He said the criticism had been a distraction and has got in the way of the activities of the government and the DUP.