US Congressman Richard Neal has learned nothing about Northern Ireland, says DUP’s Gregory Campbell

East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell pointed out that while Mr Neal lectures unionists and the UK, in his own country there has been another gun massacre overnight.

In response to the mass shooting at a Texas elementary school, Mr Campbell said on Facebook: “He’s back today visiting the UK while in his own country another mass shooting has taken place. Last year around 45,000 people in the USA died as a result of firearms related incidents, and he’s here offering us his views on our problems!”

Mr Campbell reproduced a photograph of himself alongside DUP MLA Gary Middleton and Mr Neal in Londonderry.

He wrote: “Gave him (Mr Neal) info on thousands of unionists who left the West Bank when the IRA began their murder campaign. He obviously hasn’t learned as he’s repeating his earlier mistakes.”

Even before a planned meeting with the DUP tomorrow, relations between the party and Mr Neal have deteriorated over the last 24 hours with the Congressman claiming that the controversy over the Northern Ireland Protocol was “manufactured”.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the claim “merely exposes his own ignorance and prejudice and slavish adherence to Sinn Fein dogma”.