SOMETIMES I wonder why Seymour Sweeney (centre) doesn’t just give Ian Paisley Minor (left) a job and be done with it – but then a colleague pointed out that you couldn’t buy representation like the junior minister offers for, if you believe him, nothing but the good of his constituents and the country. By sheer coincidence, in the latest Paisley squirmathon, the junior minister’s representations seem to work out in an incredibly positive way for his old mate, property developer and fellow party member (non-donating, although the wife has a great cottage you might be interested in) Mr Sweeney. Maximising the value of vested land in Ballymena for sale to Mr Sweeney and co. might be in the public interest – and quite possibly Mr Paisley’s own constituents – but strangely isn’t as profitable for property developers you might ‘know of’. Sir Alistair Graham, former chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, reckons: ‘There are a whole range of issues where he (Mr Paisley) needs to be totally transparent of what his links and interests are with this man (Sweeney). And if he doesn’t make those interests clear then he is in danger of being accused of acting improperly.’ Now whatever gave him that idea…
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