Ian Paisley Jr urges Northern Irish citizens to apply for Republic of Ireland passports

'My advice is if you are entitled to second passport then take one. I sign off lots of applications for constituents,' says Mr Paisley

Ian Paisley Jr, MP for North Antrim in Northern Ireland (PA)

The leading Northern Ireland Unionist, Ian Paisley Jr, has advised constituents to get a Republic of Ireland passport if possible.

An MP with the Democratic Union Party (DUP), Mr Paisley campaigned for Brexit ahead of the referendum.

But he said on Twitter: "My advice is if you are entitled to second passport then take one. I sign off lots of applications for constituents.

"My advice is to take as many as you can especially if you travel to different world trouble zones."

The remain vote carried a 55.8 per cent majority in Northern Ireland, inspiring calls by Republican party Sinn Fein for a referendum in Northern Ireland on a unified Ireland.

Like his late father the Rev Ian Paisley, he is fiercely opposed to republicanism and has supported the Northern Ireland Secretary, Teresa Villiers, over ruling out such a poll.

Offering his conclusions on the Brexit result, he said: 'The union is safe and we are out of Europe, No conflict just victory!'

Responding to a Gary Lineker tweet about Brexit, in which the former England footballer said he was "ashamed of my generation", Mr Paisley joked: "I didn't think you played that bad. You are being hard on yourself."