DUP MP Ian Paisley has called on party colleague Jim Wells to apologise after they clashed on the introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products.
Mr Wells posted on Twitter that he was pleased the new legislation was being rolled out in Northern Ireland, as he had approved it when he was Stormont health minister.
But Mr Paisley posted that 980 workers at the JTI tobacco factory in Co Antrim had lost their jobs as a result of the policy.
The majority of workers losing their jobs at the Ballymena factory are leaving the company today.
In a twitter post, the north Antrim MP said: "Daft policy that will not save one life".
He also called on Mr Wells to apologise.
Later speaking on the Nolan Show, Mr Paisley added: "I count him as a very good friend, but my first duty is to my constituents".
Pleased to see plain paper packaging for cigarettes is being introduced for Northern Ireland. I approved this when I was Health Minister.
— Jim Wells (@Jim_Wells_MLA) May 20, 2016
980 workers in my constituency lost jobs as a result daft policy that will not save one life. You should apologise https://t.co/oImouC0svW
— Ian Paisley (@ianpaisleymp) May 20, 2016
He said that "before anyone celebrates and applauds these policies, the effect has been this morning 500 people in my constituency left their employment for the last time".
Legislation comes into force today on "plain" cigarette packages, stripping brightly-coloured branding from tobacco packs with standardised packaging.
Boxes of 10 cigarettes have also been banned.
It comes after tobacco companies lost a legal challenge over the introduction of the laws.
