Paisley bows out from political battleground
AFTER almost four decades in the House of Commons, Ian Paisley has announced that he is to leave Parliament at the next election.
As the General Election looms, the DUP founder, who since 1970 has built North Antrim into his impregnable electoral fortress, said that he will not be standing again either for Westminster or the Assembly.
That means he will leave parliamentary politics within a year at most. But given the instability of the policing and justice agreement, there is speculation that an Assembly election could be called within months.
In Mr Paisley's wide-ranging interview with the News Letter last week, he would not be drawn on whether he would run in the General Election.
But, in an interview with his local newspaper, published yesterday, Mr Paisley confirmed widespread speculation that he will not stand again for election to Parliament.
The former First Minister, now nearing his 84th birthday, is the oldest member of Westminster's 646 MPs and at his farewell dinner as DUP leader almost two years ago the then Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, said that there was huge respect for the veteran Parliamentarian across the House of Commons.
Other speakers that night recalled that when Mr Paisley entered the Commons some spat in his direction but Mr Martin, the first Catholic Speaker of the Commons since the Reformation, said: "When Ian Paisley rises to speak everyone comes into the chamber to hear his wisdom."
In recent years, Mr Paisley has gradually stepped back from his numerous roles, including those of Free Presbyterian Moderator, MEP, DUP leader and First Minister.
He will now return exclusively to what he began as a teenager and continued right through his long career — preaching.
In his interview with the Ballymena Guardian, Mr Paisley said he believed it was time for a new generation of politicians to take his place.
The familiar figure on Northern Ireland's political scene for almost half-a-century said that his judgment had been backed "time and time again" by the electorate.
"And I have no doubt that the people of North Antrim will again support the DUP candidate at the next election," he said.
He insisted that although a swathe of his loyal support had rejected his decision to enter power-sharing with Sinn Fein, it was the "best deal" on offer at the time.
"I'm saddened that some people walked away but I believe I showed the leadership that was required to get the best possible deal in the circumstances," he said.
Looking back on his long career as North Antrim MP, Mr Paisley said it had been a privilege to represent the area.
A formidable electoral opponent, Mr Paisley lost only ever one election — his first in 1969.
"I fought the 1970 campaign against the sitting Official Unionist MP Henry Clarke. He had produced a picture of me at a public meeting in Kells and proceeded to set it on fire,” he recalled.
“The outcome of the election that followed got me into the Guinness Book of Records for the largest ever overturning of a majority.”
Away from regional and national politics, Mr Paisley said that he was proud of his efforts to improve the quality of life for his constituents.
“When I started, most of the public housing in North Antrim had no running water and we set about changing that right away.”
Asked about TUV leader Jim Allister’s challenge for his North Antrim seat at the General Election, Mr Paisley said: “The electorate will decide but I’m convinced that the people of North Antrim will back the policies of the DUP and we will retain the seat.”
Mr Paisley’s successor as the DUP candidate will be decided at a DUP selection meeting next Monday night but his son, North Antrim Assemblyman Ian Paisley Jnr, has confirmed that he will submit his name for the nomination.
The only other potentially serious contender for the nomination, fellow North Antrim Assemblyman Mervyn Storey, yesterday said that he would be backing Mr Paisley Jnr.
See Morning View, page 18
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Tuesday 14 February 2012
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