Flying the flag: DUP MPs under fire over Donald Trump re-election banner

Sammy Wilson, Ian Paisley and Paul Girvan posed outside the Houses of Parliament with a banner reading: 'Trump 2020, keep America great."

UUP MLA Doug Beattie said that when he saw the image - tweeted by Mr Wilson - of the three MPs giving the thumbs-up, he "cringed".

"People can of course support whoever they want for the US presidency, but to see three MPs giving the thumbs-up while holding a Trump banner personally makes me cringe," Mr Beattie added.

SDLP MP Claire Hanna said: "This is a clear attempt at attention-seeking by Sammy Wilson."

She added that people could judge for themselves whether a "backward, racist and destructive president" was an appropriate political role model.

It was also highlighted there did not appear to be any social distancing for the picture.

The DUP was last night approached for comment on the photograph.

Mr Paisley has previously praised Trump, describing the two of them as "good friends" and revealing that the US president has a framed picture of himself and his late father on display in his office.

"I do like him. I think he's a character and I think he's very different from his television persona," he said last month.

"I got the pleasure of meeting the whole family and, of course, his wife Melania.

"I think I'm the only or one of the few politicians since he's been president, one of the few British politicians, who's met him every single year of his presidency and has had lunch with him."

Mr Paisley added he was invited to the White House "not as a politician but as a family friend".

Trump has overtaken Democratic contender Joe Biden as the favourite to win in November on the Betfair exchange.