PEOPLE Before Profit's Gerry Carroll has hit back at Sinn Féin over one of its Belfast councillors calling him a "Brit".
Ciaran Beattie, who is election agent for Sinn Féin's West Belfast MP candidate Paul Maskey, described Mr Carroll on Facebook as "Gerry the Brit".
The councillor later withdrew the online post – which had been 'liked' by several Sinn Féin politicians – saying he "didn't think it was appropriate".
Mr Carroll, who is People Before Profit's West Belfast candidate, accused Sinn Féin of "pathetic slander".
But as the row unfolded over the airwaves today, a DUP assembly member asked: "What's wrong with being British?"
The remark was linked to Mr Carroll's intention if elected to take his seat at Westminster, which Sinn Féin MPs refuse to do because of having to swear allegiance to Queen Elizabeth.
Mr Carroll told the BBC: "The councillor doth protest too much, because it wasn't too long ago that Gerry Adams was buddying around with Prince Charles, leader of the parachute regiment," in reference to Mr Adams shaking hands with Prince Charles in 2015.
Earlier he said: "This is gutter politics at its worst. Everyone should expect a robust debate during an election. But labelling your opponents 'Brits' because you are in competition with them is wrong, and should be stopped."
Mr Carroll added that taking his Westminster seat would be "in the tradition of Bernadette Devlin, who took her seat in order to expose the establishment".
In a statement Mr Beattie said he "on reflection decided to take it down as I didn't think it was appropriate".
