No wonder they defend it so hard

More of the privileges that come with opposite marriage:

Northern Ireland's first minister, Peter Robinson, was fighting for his politcal life tonight over claims that he failed to inform the authorities about a £50,000 loan his wife passed on to her then 19-year-old boyfriend.

Robinson said he had agreed to an independent inquiry into his actions by a QC appointed by Stormont after calls from within the power sharing coalition for him to consider his position.

In a statement tonight he said he would fight "smears" against his personal integrity, adding that he had been "tried in the media and the press".

Castlereagh borough council, which granted Iris Robinson's lover permission to open a riverside cafe, confirmed yesterday that it was launching an inquiry into her role in enabling Kirk McCambley to open the Lock Keepers Inn on the southern edge of Belfast.

The main allegations against the Robinsons include:

• That Iris Robinson gained £50,000 for McCambley from two major property developers, Ken Campbell and Fred Fraser.

• That Iris Robinson lobbied on behalf of Campbell for a building scheme he was involved with in her Strangford constituency.

• That she took £5,000 of the money for herself.

• That when Peter Robinson found out about the loan and his wife's affair he insisted she pay the money back, but did not inform the authorities about her conduct.

• That when her relationship with the young man broke down she demanded the loan back and wanted £25,0000 paid into the account of her church, the Light and Life Free Methodist church in east Belfast.