IAN Paisley MP has been fined by the elections watchdog over a finance breach linked to a party fundraiser Michael Gove spoke at.
Tory politician Gove, one of the most senior Members of Parliament, addressed the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) event in Northern Ireland three years ago.
It was held at a Ballymena hotel in September 2017 — three months after the DUP agreed to prop up Theresa May's minority Conservative government in a controversial deal that saw £1 billion promiseed to Northern Ireland.
Gove was a member of May's Cabinet at the time.
Today the Electoral Commission has revealed that it has fined Paisley £1300 after taking money from two local councils who paid to attend.
Mid and East Antrim Council and Causeway Coast and Glens Council both paid £1,500 for a table.
The local authorities bought tables at the dinner, but as public bodies councils are not permitted to donate to political parties.
The case hinged on whether the event in the heart of Paisley's North Antrim constituency was business-related or a party fundraiser, with the watchdog determining it was the latter. All but £200 of the table cost was found to have been funnelled into this cause, with the rest covering meal costs.
In addition to the fine, Paisley has agreed to pay back a total of £2,600 to the two councils.
He has until October 8 to pay the fine.
The Commission said: "Given the circumstances of this case the fact that both donors are public bodies, the Commission decided that returning the donations provided an appropriate course of action.
"Mr Paisley has agreed to do so."
In 2018, Paisley served a 30-day suspension from the House of Commons for failing to declare two holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government and lobbying on its behalf.
He narrowly avoided facing a by-election after parliament's first ever recall petition fell short of the number of constituent signatures required to oust him by around 450.
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