DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr has accused the BBC of “lambasting” the incoming leader of the DUP Edwin Poots over his religious beliefs in a tense exchange on the Newsnight programme.

The North Antrim MP said the broadcaster had “taken the mickey out of” Edwin Poots after the selection of the Minister for Agriculture to replace Arlene Foster as leader of the DUP – but a spokesperson for the BBC denied this had been the case.

“The BBC want to lambast the man because he happens to be a man of faith and they want to take the mickey out of his religion, you wouldn’t do that if he was a Muslim. You should be ashamed of yourselves and the BBC should be ashamed of yourselves for starting from that position,” he said.