Tory MP on Northern Ireland Committee apologises for offence caused by loyalist bonfire tweet

Post was meant to be ‘tongue in cheek’, says Simon Hoare

The 11th night bonfires are held every year ahead of parades to mark William of Orange’s victory in the Battle of the Boyne (Getty)

The chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has apologised for any offence caused by his tweet about loyalist bonfires.

Senior Conservative MP Simon Hoare has since deleted the post that read: "Who knew William of Orange arrived in Ireland with hundreds of wooden pallets hence the traditional pallet burning fiesta began."

Loyalists criticised the tweet, leading Mr Hoare to delete it before issuing the following apology: "Earlier I posted a Tweet which was never intended to cause the offence it has to some in NI.

"I want to say fully & unequivocally that I am sorry. I intended only to be humorous/tongue in cheek & I got it wrong.

"I hope my apology will be accepted. It is sincere & heartfelt."

Kate Hoey, the former Labour MP who recently appeared at a loyalist rally in Newtownards, rejected the apology.

She tweeted: "Sincere and heartfelt ?? Well we will see if he can refrain from his regular snide remarks and obvious anti Unionist and loyalist views and his pandering to nationalists and the Irish Government."

Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, who led the condemnation of Mr Hoare's original tweet, said resigning from the committee would be "the appropriate course of action".

Doug Beattie, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, welcomed Mr Hoare's apology, tweeting "That's fair Simon" followed by three hand-clapping emojis. But others criticised the Conservative MP for issuing the apology.

The traditional bonfires are lit on 11 July precede the day of parades to mark the anniversary of King William of Orange's victory at the Battle of the Boyne.

As the day of lighting the bonfires approaches, a number of political posters, including Sinn Fein, SDLP and Alliance material, have been seen on some pyres. Irish tricolours and EU flags have also been seen on some bonfires.

Mr Hoare said in another tweet that this was the target of his criticism.

"My point is the dangerously high pallet structures and risks they create to public health. There's also no need to cover them with posters/images of political opponents. That's plain divisive," he said.

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long is among the politicians whose posters have been seen on bonfires.

She tweeted: "I get trolled a lot, falsely accused of hating loyalists and unionists. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'd love to know what those people make of loyalists burning my image in an act of intimidation and blatant hatred.

"Burning people's images isn't culture, folks."

Mr Beattie also tweeted his opposition to the burning of election posters and flags on bonfires, describing it as “not an expression of unionist culture”, adding: “It’s an expression of hate.”