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Gregory Campbell has told MPs he encouraged Emma Little-Pengelly to visit his local hospital to show solidarity with health workers following the recent violent disorder and spate of hate crime in Belfast.

Mr. Gregory Campbell referred to a visit paid by himself and the Deputy First Minister to Causeway Hospital in August.

"At the start of the trouble in Northern Ireland, I went to our Deputy First Minister and got her, with the help of the local health trust, to visit our local hospital, where we were able to offer some form of reassurance to people, of whatever background and every country of origin, that they had our total support,” said the DUP MP.

He was speaking in response to a statement by British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper which addressed misinformation and far-right violence that broke out in Britain and in some parts of Ireland, notably Belfast, in the wake of a stabbing incident in Southport in England on July 29.

General view of the Sandy Row and Donegall Road where police came under attack during disorder in south Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

Three young girls Bebe King (aged 6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (aged 7) and Alice da Silva Aguiar (aged 9) were killed.

Ms. Cooper acknowledged ‘the appalling violent disorder that we saw on the streets of Belfast and in Northern Ireland’ and welcomed the ‘support from Police Scotland and the mutual aid that took place’.

Six countries urge citizens to avoid far right protest areas of UK

Mr. Campbell asked the Minister if she agreed visiting local health workers to show solidarity was ‘a good, positive way to approach this’.

"Does she also agree that we must identify and speak about the issues that many people have with illegal immigration, and try to ensure that we do not see in this country what we have seen in countries across the EU?” he asked.

"The hon. Member is right that in this country, we have always had people come together and work together to tackle problems and debate issues.

"The people responsible for this violence and these attacks, including on our police officers, do not speak for the United Kingdom—they really do not. They do not speak for any part of the UK, and we should never let them do so,” replied the Home Secretary.

Campbell tells MPs he asked Emma Little-Pengelly to show solidarity with health workers after far-right misinformation and violence

Derry race incidents up 2%, sexual orientation incidents up 40% and sectarian incidents down 14%