Leader stands aside over wife's sex scandal

Northern Ireland's embattled leader Peter Robinson stepped down temporarily yesterday, vowing to clear his name over "mischievous" financial allegations linked to his wife's affair with a teenager.

Mr Robinson will stand down for six weeks, lawmakers were told, as the pressure finally got to the First Minister after calls mounted for him to go over the sex and politics row.

"As a father and a husband, I need to devote time to deal with family matters," said a drawn-looking Mr Robinson in a televised statement, his voice breaking.

"I continue to contend I have acted ethically and it is particularly painful at this time of great personal trauma that I have to defend myself from an unfounded and mischievous allegation," he added.

His defence came shortly after Northern Ireland Assembly speaker William Hay told lawmakers that Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has been asked to be acting First Minister during his absence "with immediate effect".

Mr Robinson's wife Iris, also a top politician, last week admitted having an affair with a 19-year-old, Kirk McCambley, and securing £50,000 (€56,000) from two wealthy developers to help him set up a cafe.

Peter Robinson has denied any knowledge of the deal, which he would have had to report to parliamentary authorities, but there were calls for him to quit over the weekend.

His announcement came after the DUP's power-sharing partners Sinn Fein tabled an emergency motion calling for Mr Robinson to explain himself before the assembly.

Meanwhile Mr Robinson's shamed wife is undergoing intensive psychiatric treatment as her husband's future hangs in the balance.

Mr Robinson's 60-year-old wife is expected to quit her seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the British Parliament's lower House of Commons imminently.

She previously admitted attempting suicide and suffering severe depression.

Her former lover, Kirk McCambley, now 21, has refused to comment on the allegations.

The scandal is playing out against an already tense backdrop in Northern Ireland.

Power-sharing between ex-foes the DUP and Sinn Fein was under strain due to failure to agree on the transfer of policing powers from London to Belfast, the last stage of the devolution process.

Mr Robinson has vowed to clear his name, but former first minister and Nobel peace laureate David Trimble was among those to say at the weekend that his position was becoming untenable.