Election spat as Arlene Foster’s ‘blonde’ comment about Michelle O’Neill sparks sexism row with Sinn Fein

A row has erupted after DUP leader Arlene Foster described Sinn Fein's Stormont leader as "blonde".

Speaking to the Sunday Independent journalist Niamh Horan in a word association exercise at the end of an interview, Mrs Foster was asked to describe Michelle O'Neill in one word.

After saying "blonde", she went on to add: "Michelle is very attractive. She presents herself very well and she always is, you know, her appearance is always very 'the same'. You never see her without her make-up. You never see her without her hair (looking) perfect."

In the same interview the DUP leader talked about the difficulties of being a female politican where "your appearance is always under scrutiny",

Sinn Fein have branded the comments 'sexist'.

So were the comments sexist or a harmless compliment? And given the logjam in our politics at the moment - aren't there bigger issues at stake?

Commentator Patricia McBride and the journalist Niamh Horan who did the interview are on the line