'Bring back death penalty' - MP

Mr Campbell says the death penalty is appropriate in certain circumstances

The East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has said he supports the reintroduction of the death penalty.

The DUP MP was speaking during a House of Commons debate on a world-wide ban on capital punishment.

He said there were circumstances when the death penalty, implemented within a robust legal framework, was an appropriate form of punishment.

The MP said it would only be used as a punishment for the most serious crimes carried out by serial offenders.

But he said there was little chance the death penalty would be reintroduced in the UK because of the "cosy consensus" amongst politicians, even though he said opinion polls show the majority of people agree with him.

The director of Amnesty International in Northern Ireland, Patrick Corrigan, said Mr Campbell was "plain wrong in thinking the death penalty has any place in a 21st century justice system".

"He should not be defending the cruelty of nations like Iran, Saudi Arabia and China in continuing this barbaric practice.

"Beheadings, electrocutions, hangings, lethal injections, shootings and stonings have no place in the modern world," he said.

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