Homophobe Steps
Down from Northern Ireland's Government

Ian Paisley Jr., son of the Protestant evangelist who leads Northern Ireland's power-sharing administration, resigned Monday from the coalition amid allegations of ethical failures.

Paisley Jr., 41, became the first minister to quit Northern Ireland's nine-month-old administration, which brings together leaders of the British Protestant majority and Irish Catholic minority.

The resignation was welcomed by politicians from both sides of the house -- and even from his own Democratic Unionist Party.

Paisley Jr. has denied allegations that he lobbied the British government on behalf of a property developer, but said Monday he was quitting the government to relieve pressure on his party and his father.

''I can't express strongly enough that I am not going because of some hidden or some revealed wrongdoing on my part,'' he said.

Paisley Jr. had denied being friends with the property developer, who was seeking to build a tourism center at the Giant's Causeway coastal scenic attraction, but then acknowledged he had bought a house from the businessman.

Last month, a political rival published a letter from a British government minister that indicated Paisley Jr. had sought preferential treatment for the developer at least six times.

In government, Paisley Jr. had served as a junior minister promoting equality issues. He angered many by criticizing gays and lesbians as repulsive, a position he insisted was not at odds with his job.

Paisley Sr., 82, for decades was the most divisive figure in Northern Ireland politics. Founder of a hard-line political party and virulently anti-Catholic, Paisley spent most of his career opposing compromise with Catholics -- then last year stunned the community by agreeing to share power with Sinn Fein, political allies of the outlawed Irish Republican Army. (Shawn Pogatchnik, AP)