Lagan Valley MLA Trevor Lunn said: “Sammy Wilson is entitled to his views but the public response to the scandalous behaviour of some politicians indicates that he is out of step with the wider population.
“The proof of the worth of the exercise carried out by the Daily Telegraph is in the level of abuse of the system which has been uncovered. As a result all elected representatives will now be held to account more thoroughly than in the past and that must be a good thing. Public confidence in the political system has been damaged and Sammy Wilson’s comments will do nothing to restore that confidence.
“As an elected representative you have to be totally accountable. You have to expect close media scrutiny as that is essentially what you sign up to when you put yourself up for elected office.
“I defend the right of the media to shine a light into the darkest and murkiest recesses of political life. If the media aren’t going to hold the politicians to account then how can the public actually see what and whom they are really voting for.”
ENDS