It has emerged tonight that Iris Robinson, the DUP MP and MLA for Strangford, tried to commit suicide last year after having an affair.
The wife of Northern Ireland's First Minister, Peter Robinson, she announced her impending retirement from politics at the end of December, citing mental illness. “The stress and strain of public life comes at a cost and my health has suffered,” she was quoted as saying.
But tonight she has revealed the details which led to her making that decision:
"Over a year and a half ago, I was involved in a relationship. It began completely innocently when I gave support to someone following a family death. I encouraged friends to assist him by providing financial support for a business venture. Regrettably, the relationship later developed into a brief affair. It had no emotional or last meaning but my actions have devastated my life and the lives of those around me."
"I am aware that I did not only hurt Peter, I hurt my family and friends. I let down thousands of people who placed their faith in me and though my medical condition was a factor, I was not, at this time, true to the values, I professed. I grieve that I have damaged my profession in Christ, but I am comforted that He was able to forgive even me... So great was my guilt and regret that I tried to take my own life ten months ago... While, as might be expected, I am struggling at present with my illness and receiving treatment I am determined to regain my health and strength, and work to repair the damage I have caused to my marriage and family."
The BBC has her full statement.
She has worn her religion on her sleeve as a politician, telling the Commons duringa debate on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill in May 2008, for example:
"I make no apology for speaking as a born-again Christian. I represent the voice of those who look to a higher authority — one to whom we will all one day answer for the decisions that we make in the House."
But her most infamous pronouncement was telling a Common committee that "there can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children".
She defended here position in the Belfast Telegraph at the time thus:
"Can you think of anything more vile than man and man or woman and woman and sexually abusing children? What I say I base on biblical pronouncements, based on God’s word... I cannot think of anything more sickening than a child being abused. It is comparable to the act of homosexuality. I think they are all comparable. I feel totally repulsed by both.”
