SF leader's use of Londonderry term was disingenuous: ex-DUP MLA

Ms McDonald was speaking after meeting Presbyterian minister Rev David Latimer and members of his congregation on Monday.

She said: “We have had an engagement with young people with interests across Derry, or Londonderry, and it has been a really wonderful conversation and one that we need to build on because... we have to live respectfully together and we know we can do that.”

Speaking on BBC’s Talkback programme today, former DUP MLA Nelson McCausland accused Ms McDonald of being “disingenuous”.

He added: “There has been a Sinn Fein attempt at unionist engagement, a charm offensive towards unionists for more than a decade. But we still get situations such as Sinn Fein’s defence of McCreesh Park in Newry, or what happened with Bally McElduff.

“It makes it very clear to me that there is a lack of sincerity about this talk of unionist reconciliation and engagement.”

Sinn Fein has previously proposed changing the name of the city to ‘Derry’.