Despite Arlene Foster pledging swift action, DUP not disciplining Ian Paisley over his latest free holiday

On Tuesday, the House of Commons Standards Commissioner, Kathryn Stone, published a 101-page report into one of the North Antrim MP’s 2016 trips to an luxurious resort on an idyllic Indian Ocean island.

Ms Stone ruled that Mr Paisley should have declared the fact that the £4,000 cost of his stay in the Maldives had been paid for by someone whose identity remains publicly unclear but who was referred to in the report as ‘Director A’.

Although Mr Paisley’s defence for not registering the holiday was that the man was “a long-standing personal friend”, the commissioner’s investigations revealed a far more tenuous link between them.

Mr Paisley eventually told her that he had met the man a decade ago, had only ever met him three times, had not seen him for at least seven years, and would not give his personal contact details to the commissioner.

Ms Stone ruled that although this is not the first time that Mr Paisley has failed to declare something which ought to have been registered publicly, it was not a breach of sufficient seriousness to merit a punishment and it was sufficient for him to belatedly register the gift and apologise, which he has now done.

More than 24 hours later the DUP has made no comment whatsoever on the matter.

The News Letter asked the DUP whether it will take any disciplinary action in relation to the holiday.

In response, the party made no mention of disciplining the North Antrim MP – but referred to him threatening to sue those who revealed his holiday.

The party said: “We note the report published [yesterday] by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. Mr Paisley cooperated fully with the investigation and has already acted on its conclusion and amended his Parliamentary Register of Interests.

“The commissioner’s report also raises questions about the BBC’s journalism. We understand that Mr Paisley has put this matter of defamation by the BBC and others in the hands of his solicitor.”

Mr Paisley’s threat of legal action has been a near-constant throughout the investigative journalism which has exposed his free holidays – beginning with a threat to sue The Daily Telegraph, which first revealed his trips to Sri Lanka, funded by the Sri Lankan regime.

A week ago, the News Letter asked DUP leader Arlene Foster if she is now too weak to discipline MPs such as Sammy Wilson, regardless of what they do. She responded: “I am not a weak leader. I am a leader that’s leading this country through a very difficult time ...”

At the time when Mr Paisley’s trip to the Maldives was first revealed by BBC Spotlight in December 2018, Mrs Foster said that the issue would be examined by the party officers “soon”.

She said that she expected high standards and “I think it is important that we hold to those high standards”.

However, Mr Paisley’s close ally, Ballymoney councillor John Finlay, released a statement which “expressed his delight” at what he claimed was Ms Stone having “vindicated” the MP.

Ms Stone concluded that she did not have evidence of one of the BBC’s allegations – that Mr Paisley’s holiday was ultimately funded by the Maldivian regime – and said: “I do not consider the evidence justifies further investigation into the alleged connection with the Maldivian government”

Mr Finlay said: “The BBC should hang its head in shame. For the sake of sensationalism, it has played fast and loose with Mr Paisley’s involvement in the Maldives and...has placed him and his family under considerable duress.”

But TUV leader Jim Allister said: “Once again he has damaged the good name of his constituency and damaged unionism as a brand.”

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