DUP LEADER Peter Robinson has suggested he may step down as an MP at Westminster to concentrate on his role as First Minister at Stormont.
Mr Robinson yesterday confirmed his view that his political future lay at Stormont rather than in the House of Commons where he has represented East Belfast for 30 years.
“I believe that the future of Northern Ireland rests very strongly in the development of the Northern Ireland Assembly and I have a commitment to that assembly to make sure that it works,” he said.
“What I have said is that I want to talk to my association about my future but the future of individuals is not as important as the future of Northern Ireland and I see the future of Northern Ireland very much tied up with the future of the Northern Ireland Assembly.” Mr Robinson said in Bangor on Thursday night that by the autumn “no more than one of my seven parliamentary colleagues who presently hold either a ministerial position or committee chairmanship will continue to do so”.
The DUP leader has said repeatedly his plans to phase out double-jobbing are long established. But it is also likely his recent statements are not totally divorced from the storm over MPs’ expenses and allowances and the declaration on Thursday by Tory leader David Cameron that, if elected prime minister, he will legislate to end double-jobbing if the practice does not come to an end.
Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister, who quit the DUP over powersharing with Sinn Féin, denounced Mr Robinson’s move.
“This is a patent effort at damage limitation to try and get through the election,” he said.
Five DUP MPs hold ministerial posts: Mr Robinson himself, Minister for Finance Nigel Dodds, Minister for Culture, Arts and sports Gregory Campbell, Minster for the Environment Mr Wilson, and junior minister Jeffrey Donaldson.
Three MPs chair Assembly committees: Iris Robinson, the Rev William McCrea and David Simpson. The Rev Ian Paisley, MP for North Antrim and former DUP leader, does not have a committee or departmental portfolio.
It is expected that Mr Robinson will maintain his dual role as First Minister.
He did not say which other MP would be permitted to hold a ministry or committee chair although there is some speculation that his deputy leader Mr Dodds may remain as Minister for Finance.
This could lead to Mr Wilson, Mr Campbell and Mr Donaldson standing down as Ministers in the autumn, which would provide major promotion opportunities within the party for younger Assembly members such as Simon Hamilton, Michelle McIlveen or Stephen Moutray.
Green Party European candidate Steven Agnew said he hoped to hear very soon of the “removal of Northern Ireland’s most embarrassing Minister”.
“It won’t come as any shock to hear that the Green Party has the champagne on ice in anticipation that Sammy Wilson, environment minister will be no more . . . Indeed his views on climate change seriously damaged Northern Ireland’s reputation on the international stage,” he said.