East Derry MP Gregory Campbell has said that republican prisoner Tony Taylor is a 'terrorist' and he will continue to refer to him as such.

Mr Campbell said that some people 'took exception' to him referring to Mr Taylor as a terrorist during a discussion on a BBC radio programme.

He took to social media to defend his stance.

Mr Campbell said: "On BBC Radio Foyle this morning challenging the SDLP over their support for Tony Taylor the RNU supporting convicted terrorist.

"Some people took exception to my referring to him as 'Tony the terrorist Taylor'.

"Well here it is, his name is Tony Taylor and he's a terrorist, so that means Tony the terrorist Taylor. Hope that clears it up."

Mr Taylor was returned to prison in March 2016, on the instructions of the then Secretary of State Theresa Villiers.

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said his licence was revoked by the Parole Commission because of the risk he posed to the public.

A two-day hearing took place in Belfast in June to decide whether or not the father-of-three should be released from prison.

The License Review Panel denied Mr Taylor's release.

Mr Taylor was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 1994 after he was seriously injured in a premature explosion in Derry.

The Provisional IRA inmate was released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

In 2011, he was sentenced to three years behind bars for possession of a rifle in a case that made history by using covert surveillance evidence gathered by a drone.

The 48-year-old is currently detained at Maghaberry Prison

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