DUP tight-lipped '¨on David Simpson claims

Following allegations carried in a Sunday newspaper our sister paper the Lurgan Mail contacted Mr Simpson’s constituency office but all questions were directed to party HQ.

Indeed, even when asked was Mr Simpson continuing to carry out his normal constituency duties the response was simple: “No comment, you will have to run everything past party HQ.”

Local party members have also adopted a similarly tight-lipped approach, again all queries directed to party headquarters.

Sources close to the party did express their surprise at the claims made in the paper and described Mr Simpson as a ‘family man’.

And when party HQ was contacted again another ‘no comment’ reply was received – with a press officer undertaking to reply at a later stage if possible.

At time of going to press no further response had been received.

Mr Simpson has been the MP for the constituency since winning a hotly contested battle with incumbent MP David Trimble in 2005.