Jim Allister responds to Ian Paisley standing down

The TUV leader stated: "It is not surprising that Ian Paisley Snr at 83 is retiring. Whatever his achievements in earlier years as a towering parliamentarian, in this parliament he was not giving North Antrim the voice it needed, turning up for only 18% of the votes. For one who once championed traditional unionism – with such colourful pledges as Sinn Fein only getting into government over his dead body -, sadly his abiding legacy will be of bequeathing Ulster terrorist-inclusive government. This legacy will inevitably be an issue at the polls.

"But, going forward, a seminal issue will be who can now give North Antrim the voice and representation which it needs, and, in that my 96% attendance record in Europe over my 5 years as MEP and being graded by the independent Taxpayers Alliance as the top performing MEP from the whole of the UK, will stand me in good stead.

"So, I look forward to the campaign in North Antrim, believing that a constituency which for decades has shown its attachment to the tested and tried principles of traditional unionism will continue that affinity, despite its outgoing MP having spectularly abandoned them to give us the chuckle routine with IRA leader McGuinnes".