Inside Parliament: Mayhew stands his ground: MPs rally behind Northern Ireland Secretary - Paisley ordered from chamber - Howard promises free vote on Sunday shop hours

The prolonged rumble of support that greeted Sir Patrick Mayhew as he entered the Commons five minutes before making his statement on contacts with the IRA signalled that Tory backbenchers at least would not be demanding his resignation as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Andrew Hunter, chairman of the Conservative MPs' committee on Ulster, said there was a widespread feeling that Sir Patrick had acted 'entirely correctly' and 'entirely honourably'. But he wanted an assurance 'that the search for peace will not slide into a search for appeasement'.

Sir Patrick said his answer was a 'quite unequivocal yes'. But with the Prime Minister alongside him in support, he promised the Government would continue to explore the opportunities for peace.

'Peace properly attained is a prize worth the risks. If a genuine end to violence is promised, the way would be open for Sinn Fein to enter the political arena after a sufficient interval to demonstrate that they mean it.'

Sir Patrick appeared determined to confront his fiercest critics, the Democratic Unionists, demanding of William McCrea what contribution he had made to peace by leaking the document which revealed the contacts. But he was spared having to reply to the party's leader, Ian Paisley. In a piece of parliamentary theatre, Mr Paisley was ordered out of the Commons for five working days after accusing Sir Patrick of lying.

Mr Paisley said it was not a matter of whether there was a channel conveying messages to the Provisional IRA but of Sir Patrick's denials. 'He has rubbished any suggestion of any such talks. He has rubbished anyone who dared at a press conference to put questions to him. And when we met him with the Prime Minister this past week, he rubbished it again to us.

'The people of Northern Ireland today demand that the Secretary of State explains why he issued falsehoods himself, got his officials to issue falsehoods and Downing Street backed up those falsehoods.'

Speaker Betty Boothroyd intervened, telling him 'falsehoods' meant only one thing to the chair of the House - 'that is lies'. But ignoring her appeal to withdraw the unparliamentary term, Mr Paisley said Sir Patrick surely could not think the Ulster people still trusted him. 'If he wants a settlement, the only honourable thing he can do is resign.'

Miss Boothroyd tried twice more, but Mr Paisley said he could not oblige. 'I would like to stay in this House. But there are far too many issues in Northern Ireland that weigh on me at this time, and the people of Northern Ireland would say to me, 'Why did you not stand by what you said outside this House?' And I stand by what I said. It was a falsehood. It was worse. It was a lie.'

Miss Boothroyd ordered Mr Paisley to leave the Commons for a day and when he remained seated she 'named' him. MPs voted by 272 to 25 for his suspension, and with a nod to Miss Boothroyd he left the chamber.

Sir Patrick dealt with the resignation call in reply to Dennis Skinner, Labour MP for Bolsover, who said it was the honourable thing to do after saying one thing and behind people's backs doing another. 'I think there is no question of resigning by reason of any efforts that I or the Prime Minister have made to secure by proper means peace in Northern Ireland,' the Secretary of State said.

His Labour shadow, Kevin McNamara, hoped the Government's 'mishandling' of matters would not deter it from taking risks for peace. The Labour leader in the Lords, Lord Richard, captured a widespread feeling when the statement was repeated to peers. 'It is quite right for the Government to take risks in the interests of peace. But I think they were somewhat inept and crass in the public disavowal of talks. It was precious near a negotiation.'

Mr Paisley's punishment meant he was not present to deliver his usual condemnation of shopping on the Sabbath when the Sunday Trading Bill came before the Commons. Michael Howard, the Home Secretary, said it could resolve a tangle that had dogged Parliament for 40 years.

The measure was given a Second Reading by 311 votes 26 - Labour left-wingers leading the opposition. The crunch will come during the Committee stage, expected before Christmas, when MPs will have a free vote on three options: total deregulation, a compromise with small shops able to trade at any hour but large stores restricted to six hours, and the tight control sought by the Keep Sunday Special Campaign with most shops shut.

Mr Howard favoured deregulation - as does the Prime Minister - while Tony Blair, the shadow home secretary, tended towards the middle way. He believed Sunday should be a special day and said that feeling was shared by the public. 'Some limitation on larger shops' opening hours does accord with that sentiment.' Barry Sheerman, Labour MP for Huddersfield, said lobbyists for the 'select few' retailers had put MPs under intolerable pressure.

'Champagne, oysters and caviar' had been on offer. 'Millions of pounds have been spent on persuading them that it is not the desire of the British people to have a peaceful Sunday but to have a retailing Sunday.'