MP Simon Hoare met loyalists in Northern Ireland on 'personal' fact-finding mission

The Belfast Telegraph reported that Simon Hoare, chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee (NIAC), held separate meetings with UDA and UVF figures earlier this month to encourage them to buy into the Windsor Framework.

Mr Hoare told the newspaper he had attended the meetings in a personal capacity.

The UDA and UVF are illegal paramilitary organisations. While both are on ceasefire, they have been linked with ongoing criminality.

Police said earlier this year they were monitoring tensions in loyalist areas following the unveiling of the Windsor Framework, designed to ease trading barriers between NI and the rest of the UK.

The NIAC released a statement about the meetings, which said they were not an attempt to represent the committee.

The statement said: "The chair's visit to Northern Ireland was to fact-find to inform House and committee discussion on paramilitary activity and organised crime in Northern Ireland.

"The visit was not an attempt to represent the committee or communicate its views."

Mr Hoare told the Belfast Telegraph: "I was there to listen directly to a group of people in Northern Ireland who are so angry and frustrated. It was a listening exercise to help inform my understanding of a group of people who are hard to reach."

He added: "I will talk to anybody… who is prepared to talk to me. You can talk to all sorts of people about all sorts of things. It doesn't mean you agree with them."

In July 2021, Mr Hoare angered loyalists with a disparaging tweet about bonfire culture.He said: “Who knew William of Orange arrived in Ireland with hundreds of wooden pallets hence the traditional pallet burning fiesta.”He later apologised, saying he didn’t intend to cause offence, and added: “I want to say fully & unequivocally that I am sorry. I intended only to be humorous/tongue in cheek & I got it wrong. I hope my apology will be accepted. It is sincere & heartfelt.”