The image tweeted out by Ian Paisley Jr

Professor Brian Cox has taken a swipe at the DUP's new 'album cover', saying he prefers the party's earlier work.

The stargazer was needling an image put out through the Twitter account of Ian Paisley.

In the image, the North Antrim representative is pictured with fellow MPs Sammy Wilson and Nigel Dodds, and party leader Arlene Foster against the backdrop of the Stormont estate.

The four politicians appear beneath a banner reading 'The Protectors of Brexit', with the DUP's logo and a union flag coloured map of the UK also in the image.

The graphic appears to have been mocked up by Leave.EU, the unofficial campaign group the leave the EU which was backed by UKIP MEP Nigel Farage and UKIP party donor Arron Banks.

Retweeting the image, physicist Cox - who was a keyboard players in 90's Northern Ireland dance band D:Ream - wrote: "It’s not their best album. Really weak side 2. I thought ‘6000 Year-old Causeway’ was a much better record".

Responding to the tweet, plenty of other social media users were quick to pile in on the action.

You should check out their edgy early stuff ! #CurrentlyResidingInTheWhereAreTheyNowFile pic.twitter.com/qjnY4XysvS — Cllr Danny Donnelly (@DannyDonnelly1) April 26, 2018

I didnât think much of their Christmas single: âNo Sir, Reindeerâ — Rob Tweed (@rtweed) April 27, 2018

Havenât been the same since Willie McCrea went solo. — Conor Caldwell (@conorcbelfast) April 27, 2018

They tried to make us stay in Europe and we say NO, NO, NO — Gerard McLaughlin (@GerardMcL) April 26, 2018

Professor Brian Cox is widely known to the public for scientific programming he has appeared in for the BBC, including Wonders of the Universe, and Stargazing Live, which he co-presented with Irish comedian Dara O'Briain.

The DUP campaigned for Britain to leave the EU in the June 2016 referendum, and are currently in a confidence-and-supply agreement with Theresa May's Conservative government.

Belfast Telegraph