Martin McGuinness will be eligible to claim tens of thousands of pounds in expenses after announcing he will stand down as an MP, despite never taking his seat at Westminster.

The Sinn Fein politician announced he wanted to concentrate on his job as Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, and his party has a policy to end so-called "double jobbing".

Sinn Fein MPs have long refused to take their seats at Westminster.

The party does not recognise the London parliament's jurisdiction over Northern Ireland.

Despite never taking his seat Mr McGuinness is entitled to claim tens of thousands of pounds in "winding up" costs.

The announcement that he will stand down is sure to reignite the furore around expenses for Sinn Fein MPs.

The Conservatives suggested before the last election they would step in to stop Sinn Fein MPs claiming the payments unless they took their seats.

In the by-election that his resignation has triggered it is expected Mr McGuinness will be succeeded by another Sinn Fein politician. The party's Francie Molloy has already said he will run for the seat.

Mr McGuinness said: "I am resigning as MP but I have no intention of leaving Mid-Ulster."

He was first elected as the MP for the constituency in 1997.