SINN Féin last night vowed to focus its efforts on ousting Ian Paisley from his North Antrim seat after MPs backed his suspension from Westminster.

The unprecedented sanction of 30 sitting days means the shamed DUP representative will be forced to resign if 7,500 of his constituents sign a petition.

It is the first time in UK parliamentary history that the ‘recall petition’ legislation has been applied.

A public process that will see up to 10 venues opened in North Antrim to collect signatures over a six-week period is expected to be triggered in the coming days.

Mr Paisley has vowed to fight any by-election, where he will be defending a majority of more than 20,000.

A Sinn Féin spokesman told The Irish News last night that the party’s immediate focus was on unseating the incumbent.

“In the coming days we’ll be supporting the effort to oust Ian Paisley from his seat though we believe the onus to act should be on the DUP,” the spokesman said.

The DUP said yesterday it had suspended Mr Paisley while it carries out “further investigation into his conduc