Gregory Campbell to stand down as MLA ahead of double-jobbing ban

Gregory Campbell has held a dual mandate as both an MP and MLA since 2001

Gregory Campbell, the last of Stormont's double-jobbing politicians, is to stand down from the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA has said he will not contest the assembly election in May.

Instead, he will concentrate on his role as MP for East Londonderry, a post he has held since 2001.

The law banning people from holding dual mandates is due to to come into force after May's assembly election.

Mr Campbell became the last politician to hold seats in both Westminster and Stormont when his party colleague Sammy Wilson and the then Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Alasdair McDonnell quit the assembly last summer.

M Campbell said that if he had decided to remain at Stormont it would have meant an expensive Westminster by-election.

"Choosing the right moment to move was always difficult, but given my approach to building for the future while not letting others rewrite the past I have decided that this is the best time," he said.