Barry McElduff: I'll meet Kingsmill families if they are willing

Barry McElduff, the West Tyrone MP, has been castigated across social media and been urged to resign by unionist politicians after posting the video on Friday.

He offered an apology and deleted the video early on Saturday, saying: “Have deleted video post. Had not realised or imagined for a second any possible link between product brand name and Kingsmill Anniversary,” he said.

“Further, I apologise for any hurt or offence caused. Never my intention to offend anyone who has suffered grievously.”

However, despite the apology, Mr McElduff continued to attract almost universal criticism.

Now in a new post on Saturday evening, Mr McEldufff offered to meet the bereaved families of the Protestant workmen murdered by the IRA in south Armagh in 1976.

He posted: “Mindful of unintended hurt caused to victims’ families I would be very willing to meet with Kingsmill Massacre families if they were willing”

South Armagh victims’ campaigner William Frazer said the MP should quit: “This unfunny inflammatory reference to Kingsmills bread has been used by republicans for a number of months, our office has been receiving malicious calls requesting to speak with Kingsmills family members, the individual then advises they have burnt ten slices of bread and need a fresh loaf.

“This is the kind of intimidation and derogatory comments the families have had to endure, which makes Mr McElduff’s tweet more sinister shocking yet unfortunately unsurprising, Sinn Fein demand rights and equality for all yet seem to seize every opportunity to belittle the unionist community. Mr McElduff should resign.”