Ian Paisley Jr has hit back at his party's critics, saying that the DUP had been "the recipients of vitriol".

Speaking to a gathering of British and Irish politicians in London, the North Antrim MP said that his party had been the victim of abuse and misrepresentation since their deal with the Conservatives.

"We were the recipients of vitriol the likes of which would probably be considered reprehensible and indeed would not have been directed at any other group," said Mr Paisley, according to the Evening Standard.

"If I certainly said some of those things about other groups in our society, or if you had said them, even about Muslim groups, in this city, you wouldn’t get away with it.

“You got away with it about us. And I think that is something that needs to be said, but needs to be left there."

Mr Paisley was speaking at a reception held by not-for-profit group CHAMP, set up to promote peace after the Good Friday Agreement.

Paisley is a patron of the organisation, along with former UUP MP Danny Kinahan and former SDLP MP Alasdair McDonnell.

Other patrons include former Shaun Woodward and Peter Hain, both of who were previously Secretary of State to Northern Ireland, and former Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble.

Mr Paisley went on to say that his party had "kept their heads down" and that his party had "got £1.5 billion out of it".

"I'm not asking for sympathy - I've got the money, the cheque cashed," he said jokingly.

Belfast Telegraph