Paisley: Gallaher factory decision to close a 'blow' for NI economy

Ian Paisley, MP for North Antrim, has called the announcement that the JTI Gallaher factory in Ballymena is to close a "blow for the Northern Ireland economy".

Workers at the Ballymena plant were informed by management on Tuesday.

Mr Paisley said the firm's decision was a result of an EU directive on anti-smoking legislation, blaming the UK government for not fighting the directive "as strongly as it should have".