“I’ve already, I think yesterday, declared my intention to resign that post”

According to the BBC report

Some “double-jobbing” DUP MPs will not stand as candidates at the next assembly election, party leader Peter Robinson has said. Mr Robinson said some assembly members would also give up their council posts, with more to follow later.

Of course, when the DUP’s Sammy Wilson, MP, MLA, Cllr, became Northern Ireland Environment Minister, he told the BBC’s Jim Fitzpatrick, 10th June 2008, that,

“..there probably is a conflict of interest there and I’ve already, I think yesterday, declared my intention to resign that post [as a Belfast City Councillor] at the earliest possible opportunity.”

But by March this year, Sammy Wilson had changed his mind.

Speaking from Westminster the East Antrim MP said his planned change to the regulations would focus the minds of his Assembly colleagues who sit on councils.

“Having a council seat in your own constituency is clearly very useful. However it would then be up to MLAs to decide if they want to do this for just a nominal amount of money “.

Mr Wilson who divides his time between Westminster, East Antrim, and Belfast believes he is able to carry out all his duties effectively.

Arlene Foster MLA his predecessor as Environment Minister resigned her council seat when she took the Environment brief. However he says he is quite happy that there is no clash of interest in being a councillor and Minister.

A Belfast city councillor since 1981 he says he has no plans to resign his council seat.

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