Robinson faces questions despite ‘cleared’ claim

DUP leader Peter Robinson’s return to his role as first minister was triumphantly proclaimed by his party as ‘Robinson is back’ - but he still faces a series of questions over his actions.

The most senior politician in government in the Six Counties is expected to be quizzed by police investigating payments to his wife Iris and is likely to be interviewed as part of other non-police inquiries.

Questions have also been raised as to whether his late friend, property developer Fred Fraser had donated any money to the DUP and why Land Registry documents appear to show that he purchased a constituency office with his wife for one pound.

The BBC Spotlight documentary programme revealed Iris Robinson had secured 5O,OOO pounds for her teenage lover Kirk McCambley’s cafe but did not declare an interest.

The programme asked why Mr Robinson did not inform authorities that his wife had failed to report the money received from another developer Ken Campbell and the late Mr Fraser.

At the weekend Mrs Robinson’s ex-lover Mr McCambley said the PSNI had already questioned him. The force has refused to say whether they have interviewed Mr Robinson and/or his wife.

An inquiry by Castlereagh Borough Council and the Stormont Assembly are both on hold pending the results of the police investigation.

However they will resume after the police investigation is complete and there may also be a third inquiry by authorities in Westminster into issues raised by the programme.

These are likely to be more substantive than the legal advice given by Paul Maguire QC on whether Mr Robinson had breached the ministerial code of conduct.

Mr Robinson has previously said that he had never taken “a single penny” from any property developer but that donations were a matter for the party.

Neither the family of Fred Fraser nor the DUP will reveal whether the property developer ever donated money to the party.

Questions also remain around a newspaper interview by Mr Robinson when he excused ‘double jobbing’ - holding seats in both Stormont and Westminster - by saying he gave his full assembly salary to the DUP. An investigation was launched by the Electoral Commission but found that it had no record of him giving any donation of over five thousand pounds to his party.

Urgent Appeal