Robinson scandal shocks the country
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson held a press briefing at his home last Wednesday, journalists from BBC, UTV and the major newspapers were summoned to Mr Robinson’s east Belfast home after rumours had been circulating around Stormont concerning the First Minister’s marriage to Strangford MP Iris Robinson. Rumours began in December 2009 after Mrs Robinson announced that she would stand down as an MP and MLA after the next election, there was also rumours regarding a forthcoming BBC Spotlight special about Iris Robinson. The First Minister’s wife has never been far from controversy, she was suspended from Stormont in 2007 after refusing to withdraw a comment she made, about Health Minister Michael McGimpsey misleading the Assembly over a health budget. But it was Mrs Robinson’s beliefs about homosexuality that caused outrage in Northern Ireland and further afield, speaking on Stephen Nolan’s radio show in June 2008 she described homosexuality as an “abomination”, and she later said that she stood by those remarks. The Robinson family were under scrutiny again earlier this year after the Westminster MPs expenses scandal broke, Iris described the reporting of the story as “A witch hunt”, among the Robinson’s expense claims was £30,000 for food over a four year period and £160,000 in mortgage interest.
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