Campbell's anger at SF Nazi slur

Gregory Campbell says he wants an immediate retraction

The culture minister, Gregory Campbell, has demanded an immediate retraction after a Sinn Féin website published a picture of him wearing a Nazi uniform.

The Ógra Shinn Féin site also published a photograph of Mr Campbell beside Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

Mr Campbell said he was "quite happy Sinn Féin are unhappy with me" but a boundary had been crossed.

Sinn Féin assembly member Barry McElduff said he would pass on the comments to his party colleagues.

Mr Campbell said: "If I'm annoying Sinn Féin, I must be doing something right.

"I don't mind that, but they then went further than just the political criticism by likening me to Joseph Goebbels. I think the headline is 'Gregory Goebbels'.

"There's a distorted picture of me which puts me beside Goebbels, and then there is a picture below that of a Nazi officer in full regalia and my face inserted in the place of the person who is in the uniform to make it look as if I am a Nazi."

The culture minister added: "The irony will not be lost on people that this is the youth wing of an organisation that has had fascist tendencies calling a democrat a fascist."

Gregory has shown a lack of respect, and even intolerance, towards the Irish language and Irish culture Barry McElduff, Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin assembly member Barry McElduff said he would raise the issue with party colleagues on Wednesday.

"If he has sensitivities, if he has taken issue with something, out of respect I will convey that to other Sinn Féin people when I meet them today," he said.

"Gregory has shown a lack of respect, and even intolerance, towards the Irish language and Irish culture, which is regrettable on the part of the minister of culture."

Mr McElduff also said the issue raised "questions about the use of anybody's image on the internet, and I have a personal opinion that people's consent should be sought".