A NORTHERN Irish politician has issued an apology after pictures of her dressed up as Mr T surfaced on social media.
Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw said she was “deeply embarrassed” by the images, which were taken at a house party in 2010.
In the photos, the 47-year-old can be seen sporting a black skull cap wig, gold chain and drawn on beard in the style of Mr T’s signature character B.A Baracus from the hit ‘80s TV show The A-Team.
She is pictured alongside her husband, Ian Parsley, a one-time Alliance Party European election candidate, who can be seen wearing a basketball-style vest top.
Born Lawrence Tureaud, Mr T rose to fame as an actor and wrestler, appearing in several WWE events and in Rocky III and the film’s main adversary, Clubber Lang.
Writing on Twitter, Bradshaw offered a full and frank apology for her attire in the pictureS, describing the choice of costume as a “serious lapse of judgement”.
"It has come to my attention that there are photos of me on social media from a decade ago dressed as Mr T,” she wrote.
“For some time I have been deeply embarrassed I ever thought such an inappropriate costume was a good idea and I apologise for any offence caused.
"It was a serious lapse of judgement. It did not reflect my views then and does not reflect them now.
"I am proud to stand on my record of tackling the very real issues of racial discrimination and prejudice faced by minority ethnic communities here and abroad every day.
"I will not be diverted from continuing to take concrete action to support minority communities, assist refugees and oppose racial injustice in all its forms."
It was a serious lapse of judgement. It did not reflect my views then and does not reflect them now.
2/4— Paula Bradshaw MLA (@PaulaJaneB) September 19, 2020
I will not be diverted from continuing to take concrete action to support minority communities, assist refugees and oppose racial injustice in all its forms.
4/4— Paula Bradshaw MLA (@PaulaJaneB) September 19, 2020
The pictures surfaced just a week after Bradshaw spoke during of the importance of race relations during an Assembly debate on Stormont’s racial equality strategy.
“I represent South Belfast, which is noted as the most culturally, ethnically and socially diverse constituency in Northern Ireland,” she said.
“It is that diversity that makes it all the more enriched and prosperous, in all senses of the word.
“Therefore, the frustration for many, not least the minority ethnic community, is that the issue of race relations does not appear to receive the attention and concentration of effort that it deserves and requires.”
