Paula Bradley Describes DUP Treatment Of LGBT+ Community As 'Atrocious'

The deputy leader of the DUP, Paula Bradley, has described comments made by members of her party about the LGBT+ community as "absolutely atrocious" at an event in Belfast.

Ms Bradley was appearing at a Virtual Summer Reception hosted by PickNews when she was questioned about her party's treatment of Northern Ireland's LGBT+ community.

Responding to questions from director of The Rainbow Project, John O'Doherty, Ms Bradley said: "I am not going to defend some of the things that have been said over the years, because they have been absolutely atrocious, they've been shocking."

She said that the couldn't "stand by" those comments made by other members of her party, adding that she knew the "hurt that they caused people" and that they "fed into the hatred that some people have had to endure in their life".

She went on to say that she believed the "vast majority" of the members that made such comments are no longer in the party, while any that do remain "have learnt their lessons".