DUP councillor Dale Pankhurst uses image of empty shelves in Tesco store in England in tweet about NI Protocol

Minister Poots appeared on The Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday during which time he blamed the Northern Ireland Protocol, not Brexit, for the disruption and damage to businesses here since the Brexit transition period ended on December 31, 2020.

Minister Poots claimed live on air that the main supplier of food to hospitals and schools in Northern Ireland told him that their ability to supply food will be compromised if the new trading regulations brought about by Brexit are not eased or changed.

The Department of Health and the Department of Education both refuted Minister Poots’ claims saying that neither was aware of any major issues concerning the supply of food.

Alliance Party MP for North Down appeared on the Nolan Show on Thursday and described Minister Poots’ claims as “scaremongering on sterioids”.

A brief clip of Mr. Farry’s interview was shared on social media on Thursday morning.

DUP Belfast City Councillor, Dale Pankhurst, replied to a tweet containing the Stephen Farry interview on Thursday evening with the image of empty shelves in a Tesco store in Worcester, England as well as the following message: “Scaremongering? Really?”

Many replied to Colr. Pankhurst’s tweet telling him the image was almost a full year old and had first appeared in The Guardian on March 27, 2020.

A DUP spokesman said: “This was an illustrative picture making the point that supermarket shelves have been without stock as a result of the NI Protocol.

“Councillor Pankhurst regrets reposting a picture which was sent to him by a constituent.

“There is no question of the disruption that has been caused by the Protocol.

“Anyone in a supermarket or waiting on a package has experienced it directly.”

Colr. Pankhurst deleted the tweet on Friday afternoon.