The Ulster Unionist Party have been joined by the SDLP, Alliance, Sinn Fein and smaller parties including the Greens, in providing the required signatures to recall the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday to debate the serious allegations contained in the BBC Northern Ireland Television programme broadcast yesterday evening.

A Party spokesman said: “While it is important to stress we are dealing with allegations at this stage, they are serious enough to suggest that if true, they represent the most serious case of corruption since devolution was restored in 1998. It is, therefore, essential we take urgent steps to protect the reputation of the Executive, the Assembly and the political process. It is a matter of regrettable fact that Peter Robinson and Ian Paisley Junior have had to stand down from ministerial positions previously, and we believe Nelson McCausland should similarly vacate his desk as Social Development Minister while an urgent, independent investigation is commissioned.

“We also call on the DUP to suspend the Minister’s Special Adviser during this period, again to minimise the damage to the political institutions from this latest alleged scandal.

“The Party has written to the First and deputy First Minister, the PSNI and the NI Assembly Commissioner for Standards requesting they take the appropriate actions.

“Recent elections show that voters are increasingly disengaged and disinterested in the politics of Stormont. For the sake of the future of our devolved institutions, it is absolutely critical that we leave no stone unturned to either disprove these allegations, or, if they are true, to act decisively against those who broke either the law, or their respective codes of conduct.”