Statement from Traditional Unionist Voice vice-chairman Keith Harbinson:

“The news that Brighton bomber Patrick Magee is to visit the House of Commons tomorrow – the day after the 25th anniversary of bombing of the Conservative Party conference – will appall all decent thinking people.

“Many will share Lord Tebbit’s analysis that Magee is a celebrity terrorist, lauded by organizations like The Forgiveness Project.

“Magee – like the rest of his IRA chums – cannot be forgiven if for no other reason than that he does not want to be forgiven. Magee continues to claim that his actions were legitimate and justifiable, and that he would do the same again as he believes that he contributed in changing the political tide towards peace. Not only that but he did not even serve all of his sentence as he was released under the terms of the Belfast Agreement in one of the greatest insults to justice in the history of Western civilization.

“When tomorrow Magee enters the House of Commons it will be an appalling insult to the innocent victims of his terrorism – just as appalling as those who sanctioned the Brighton bombing sitting in government here in Northern Ireland”.