The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, the Rev Ian Paisley, has been forced to drop out of the European election campaign for the time being because of ill-health, writes Deaglan de Breadun. He was having tests at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald after complaining of kidney pain yesterday.
Dr Paisley, MP for North Antrim, had been campaigning to retain his European Parliament seat and was due to open a new constituency office in east Belfast for the Assembly members Mr Peter Robinson and Mr Sammy Wilson.
Mr Robinson said the 73-year-old leader was unable to attend because of illness. "He is in hospital getting tests carried out at the present time for a kidney pain. It is not regarded as being serious.
"He regards it as an inconvenience which is holding him back from his campaigning," he said.
The Sinn Fein candidate, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, has challenged comments by the President-designate of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, on the eventual need for a standing European army: "How sad and tragic it is, as we strive to take all British and Irish guns out of Irish politics, Mr Prodi is suggesting an increase in the degree of militarisation at a European level."