DUP motion calls for Christ's birth to be recognised as meaning of Christmas

Jim Shannon (Strangford) has received support from four Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) colleagues for his parliamentary motion about the “real meaning” of Christmas.

Prime Minister Mrs May agreed a “confidence and supply” arrangement with the 10 DUP MPs, secured with a controversial £1 billion funding deal for Northern Ireland, after she lost her majority following June’s snap election.

Mr Shannon’s early day motion (EDM) states: “That this House recognises the real meaning of Christmas being the celebration of the birth of Christ.

“(It) urges people to remember to keep Christ in their Christmas and to use the time to show love to family, friends, neighbours and community alike.

“And takes the opportunity to wish everyone in this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland a very Happy Christmas and a blessed New Year.”

Mr Shannon tabled a similar motion last year, in which he and other MPs offered Christmas wishes and reaffirmed the “right of every person in this country to use the phrase Happy Christmas”.

Paul Girvan (South Antrim), David Simpson (Upper Bann), Gavin Robinson (Belfast East) and Emma Little-Pengelly (Belfast South) are the other DUP signatories.

An EDM is a formal motion submitted for debate in the House of Commons, although very few are actually debated.