'Does he ever watch the news?' Sammy Wilson rounds on Rev Norman Hamilton over cleric's criticism of Stormont collapse

Former Presbyterian moderator Rev Hamilton said that whilst he does “absolutely respect” the DUP’s mandate and the party’s right not to enter government, “what is not being discussed is the ethical and moral downside of that… that for me is the ethical cost of sticking rigidly to an electoral mandate”.

You can read Rev Hamilton’s comments more fully here:

Unionism is in the grip of 'an existential identity crisis' says ex-Presbyterian moderator Norman Hamilton

Mr Wilson, one of the party’s most outspoken opponents first of the Protocol, then of the Windsor Framework, responded by telling the News Letter Rev Hamilton “shouldn't make a political point at the expense of truth”.

"Does he even listen to the news? Does he pay any particular heed to politics?” asked Mr Wilson.

"If he looks at the record of our own party, whether when Stormont was operating or at Westminster, we have been the voice of people who are marginalised and finding difficulties at the moment.

"It was Michelle McIlveen as education minister who introduced free school meals for children during holidays (that's finished now because of the way Conor Murphy handled the finances at Stormont and left us with a black hole of £620m).

"At Westminster we've been the consistent voice calling for the government to give support to people in the current energy crisis.

"We supported the uprating of benefits to reflect the increased cost of living and 10% inflation. I could go on.

"Hopefully he's not going to be dishonest as some politicians are in pretending that Stormont has a panacea for all of the ills which face society in Northern Ireland.

"First of all you've got to have the wherewithal – and we don't because we've been left practically bankrupt by the ineptitude of Sinn Fein when they held the finance ministry.

"Let him not join in this chorus of people who say Stormont will solve all your problems.

"He knows full well Stormont isn't going to have the ability to do that. And why build up false hope?”

But if couldn't Stormont can't solve every problem, surely it could solve at least some of them if it were resurrected?

"The ability for decisions to be made still exists,” replied Mr Wilson (who is not Presbyterian himself; his father was an Elim pastor and he attends Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle).

"You only have to look at the list of things permanent secretaries do on a week by week basis in carrying out the wishes of ministers…

"The process of government still goes on. Of course the ideal situation is for Stormont to be up and running.

"But because of the protocol we're spending half a billion pounds a year supporting people through the network of EU bureaucracy so they can trade with the UK."

Rev Hamilton has spoken out on a number of issues in recent times, often taking a conservative Christian line.

Last November, following a declaration by the CPS that it is "no longer appropriate" to read parts of the Bible aloud in public, he said: “The stifling of free expression in a democracy, threatens democracy itself.

"And whether you are a comedian, an author like JK Rowling, a Christian or an Islamic leader, the direction of travel by the CPS is deeply alarming.”

• Fears raised about freedom of expression as prosecutors say it is ‘no longer appropriate’ to quote parts of the Bible in public

He also stressed that Christians face “demanding” constraints on their lifestyles, in reaction largely to comments about gay people from Scottish moderator Iain Greenshields, who had declared “the only expression that we can possibly give to any human being, in any circumstance”.

• Former NI Presbyterian chief: 'Yes, God loves gay and straight alike... but He also sets out a demanding lifestyle'