South Belfast Alliance MLA Anna Lo said: “I am shocked and angered at these comments from Gregory Campbell. They go against all that is fair and decent in our justice system.
“Two wrongs never make a right. Taking someone’s life through the death penalty is not justice – it lowers society to the level of the perpetrator.
“This would be a step back in time and would send out a terrible message across the world about the UK.
“One only has to think of the many miscarriages of justice we have heard about to see that the death penalty is totally inappropriate and simply unacceptable. This type of justice is barbaric and often cruel and we must never allow our society to stoop that low.”
ENDS