‘Contrived controversy’: DUP MP refuses to apologise over BLM comment on Songs of Praise gospel edition

MP says he is 'anti-racist'

Gregory Campbell was accused of 'race-baiting' (PA)

A DUP MP is refusing to retract comments he made about the number of black people featuring in an edition of the BBC's Songs of Praise.

East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell was accused of "race-baiting" after describing the Gospel Singer of the Year programme as "the BBC at its BLM (Black Lives Matter) worst".

A number of charities, campaign groups and opposition politicians called on Mr Campbell to apologise for the "deeply irresponsible" remarks, which came in a Facebook post at the end of last month.

"There were five singers, all of them black. There were three judges all of them black and one presenter who was incidentally, yes black," he wrote on the social media site on 31 January.

"The singers were all very good but can you imagine an all-white line up with an all-white jury and presented by a white person? No I can’t either."

On Monday Mr Campabell refused to back down from the comments, insisting that he was "anti-racist" while accusing the Songs of Praise programme of lacking "diversity" because it didn't feature people from any other ethnic backgrounds.

He said he had received "the vilest of abuse" over what he claimed was a "contrived controversy".

“If I have caused offence by stating the obvious, by stating something that is irrefutable, that the BBC are committed to reflecting the diversity of the UK and they didn’t on that occasion, and no one can say that they did, why would I apologise for something that is correct and accurate?” he told the BBC.

“No, I don’t apologise. I’m anti-racist, do I apologise for that? No. I stand with a black footballer who refuses to take the knee".

The DUP's leader and first minister, Arlene Foster, said Mr Campbell's post is "not a sentiment" she identified with, insisting the party is "totally and absolutely committed" to racial equality.

David Grant, one of the show's judges, described Mr Campbell's view as "uninformed", adding the MPs response was "not enough".