DUP names Iris Robinson replacement

The replacement for disgraced Northern Ireland Assembly Member Iris Robinson was named today.

Social worker and councillor Jonathan Bell was nominated by the DUP following Mrs Robinson's resignation earlier this month from her Strangford seat at Stormont and Westminster.

She is under police investigation after securing £50,000 (€57,024) from two wealthy property developers to fund her toyboy lover's restaurant business.

Police in Belfast said their organised crime branch, which specialises in complex financial probes, had been called in to establish whether any criminal offence had been committed.

Mrs Robinson, 60, was given £25,000 (€28,518) by each of the two developers, Kenny Campbell and Fred Fraser, to help Kirk McCambley, 21, establish his business, the Lock Keeper's Inn on the banks of the River Lagan in south Belfast. She kept £5,000 (€5,703) for herself.

In the immediate aftermath of the sex and money scandal, mother-of-three Mrs Robinson, wife of Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson, announced she was resigning as MP for Strangford as well as her membership of the Stormont Assembly.

She has also been dumped by the DUP, of which her husband is leader.

She is currently undergoing acute psychiatric treatment after trying to kill herself last March when she confessed to her husband about her secret affair.

It has also emerged that Mrs Robinson lobbied for three planning applications on behalf of the two developers.

Mr Bell is senior practitioner in the adolescent social work team based in James Street, Newtownards.

He has eight years' experience in local government and is a former District Policing Partnership (DPP) chairman.

A member of the loyal orders, he is an evangelical Christian and attends Newtownards Congregational Church.

Mr Robinson said: "Jonathan is a well-known local councillor in Ards and he will play a valuable role within the DUP team in the Assembly.

"He has worked as a social worker for many years and will bring abilities and experience from both his elected and professional life."

Mr Bell said it was an enormous honour.

"The DUP has a proven track record of hard work within the constituency and I will be working closely with our three other MLAs in the area to ensure that the people of Strangford continue to receive the benefits which devolution can bring to everyone in Northern Ireland," he said.