DUP's two tribes
Scale of leader and deputy's political dynasties revealed
Friday, February 22, 2008
By David Gordon
The scale of the two family dynasties at the top of the Assembly's biggest
political party was last night made public.
It is now known that five Paisleys hold political posts, while the family of
leader-in-waiting Peter Robinson go one better with six - including Mr
Robinson and his MP wife.
Details released by the DUP show that Mr Robinson employs his son and a
daughter in full time roles from the staffing expenses made available to
politicians.
His wife Iris meanwhile also employs one of their sons in a full time
capacity and a daughter-in- law part-time.
DUP leader Ian Paisley has two daughters on his payroll as full-time
employees, while his wife Baroness Paisley represents the party in the House
of Lords.
Their son Ian Jnr is paid £9,000-£11,000 per year as a parliamentary
researcher for his father.
That's on top of his own position as MLA, and the Stormont Ministerial post
he will shortly be vacating after he announced his resignation this week.
The Commons-related pay received by Ian Jnr is to be the subject of a
preliminary inquiry by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.
In total, the DUP announced that 19 of its elected politicians are employing
family members.
The list involves 27 relatives in an overall party staff team of 136, it
stated.
DUP Assembly chief whip Lord Morrow said the employees cover more than 40
offices and "scores of satellite surgeries" across Northern
Ireland.
He added: "Whilst there has been much discussion about MLAs who employ
relatives, it must be noted that the focus should be on whether the employee
is effectively doing the work for which they are paid.
"The Democratic Unionist Party provides an unrivalled constituency
service. The performance of these offices is monitored by our party
centrally."
The DUP was the last of the main Stormont parties to reveal information on
family links.
Relative values: the DUP list in full
Gregory Campbell - wife (full time), employs seven in total
Nigel Dodds - wife (full time) and son (part time), employs seven in total
Jeffrey Donaldson - wife (part time), employs eight in total
William Hay - son-in-law (full time), employs three in total
William Irwin - daughter (full time), employs two in total
Nelson McCausland - nephew (part time), employs three in total
Ian McCrea - wife (part time), employs four in total
William McCrea - son (full time) and daughter (full time), employs six in
total
Michelle McIlveen - brother (full time), employs three in total
Adrian McQuillan - sister-in-law (full time), employs three in total
Maurice Morrow - sister-in-law (full time), employs three in total
Robin Newton - wife (full time) and son (part time), employs two in total
Dr Ian Paisley - son (part time) and two daughters (full time), employs
seven in total
Edwin Poots - wife (part-time)
George Robinson - son (full time) and nephew (part time), employs four in
total
Iris Robinson - son (full time) and daughter-in-law (part time), employs six
in total
Peter Robinson - son (full time) and daughter (full time), employs four in
total
Jimmy Spratt - wife (part time), employs three in total
Jim Wells - daughter (part time), employs six in total
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