Paisley to stand in next election

Mr Paisley describes Gordon Brown as a "canny Scot"

Ian Paisley has said he will stand at the next Westminster election, should one be called.

The eighty-one-year-old first minister was speaking at the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth.

Speculation has been rife in recent days that Gordon Brown may go to the polls this autumn.

But Mr Paisley does not think that the Prime Minister, who he describes as a "canny Scot", will call an election any time soon.

"He's not going to run into an election just because some people say 'hurry up and do it'," he said.