Developer who gave Robinson's lover money is DUP donor

Ken Campbell says he lent Kirk McCambley £25,000 on an interest-free basis

A property developer from whom Iris Robinson obtained £25,000 for her teenage lover, once donated money to her party the DUP, it has emerged.

Ken Campbell said he contributed between £4,000 and £5,000 to the party several years ago.

He said he had never donated any money to Iris or Peter Robinson personally.

Mrs Robinson is to stand down from her elected positions after it was reported that she broke the law by not revealing her interest in her lover's business.

She obtained £50,000 from Mr Campbell and another developer Fred Fraser, who died last year, to finance Kirk McCambley's cafe in south Belfast.

She kept £5,000 for her herself and then, when their relationship ended, she demanded Mr McCambley pay the money back.

On Monday, lawyers for Mr Campbell said the money had been loaned to Mr McCambley on an interest-free basis and that £20,000 had been repaid. The remaining £5,000 is still outstanding.

Mrs Robinson's husband, the Northern Ireland First Minister, has stepped down from his post for six weeks.

He has said he wants to clear his name after it was reported that he did not tell the proper authorities about his wife's financial dealings, despite being obliged by the ministerial code to act in the public interest at all times.