SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood
The SDLP leader and “proud Derry man” was responding to a tweet from Labour’s Louise Haigh, after she posted a newspaper story on Twitter.
The article described how the MP challenged a group of anti-vaccination campaigners heckling him at Brighton seafront during a BBC interview at Labour’s conference, saying he “spun around” before “loudly telling one to f*** off”.
However, it was the description of the Derry native as bringing “a bit of Belfast street charm to the South Coast” that led to a raft of jokes on social media, with the tweet having received more than 2,000 likes.
The Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary described the article — entitled “Anti-vaxxers get a blast from Belfast” — as “absolutely outrageous”, before adding the line “@columeastwood is from Derry”.
Responding, Mr Eastwood said he has “no intention of moving up the A6 anytime soon”.
“During my political career I have grown accustomed to criticism, being misquoted, and even, on occasion, abuse, but as a proud Derry man I can honestly say nothing has cut deeper than being referred to as a Belfast native,” he said.
He added that after he had been “rudely interrupted by a group of anti-vaxxers” during his interview.
”I made my feelings very clear.
“It seemed to do the trick.”
