Is there a shift change within the DUP around gay rights issues?

What exactly is the DUP's position on gay rights? It has consistently used the Petition of Concern in the Assembly to block attempts to introduce Equal marriage legislation. And former DUP minister Jim Wells has resigned his membership of the National Trust over its support for gay marriage. But now a DUP councillor has backed the weekend's Belfast Pride parade and the PSNI's involvement in it. Tom Smith from Ards and North Down council tweeted his support for the event. In a series of tweets he said:

"For the record, I have absolutely no problem with Belfast Pride or PSNI taking part - we must end hatred!"

In another tweet, he said: "There is nothing wrong with being gay/transgender. We are all different thank goodness."

The DUP councillor also revealed that he "had friends who, because of persecution and abuse they would face, did not come out as gay - glad that's changing".

Responding to a story about TUV leader Jim Allister opposing uniformed police officers marching in the Belfast parade, Mr Smith used the hashtag #BelfastPride. He tweeted: "Regardless of views on SSM (same-sex marriage), many LGBT suffer hate crime and PSNI showing this is wrong and offering support - no problem with this."

We asked the DUP for a response to Mr Smith's comments. A spokesman said: "don't have anything more to add"

Meanwhile DUP leader Arlene Foster has said it hurts her to be called a homophobe. Stephen got the views of commentator and journalist Alex Kane, and the director of Rainbow project in Northern Ireland, John O'Doherty.