The DUP is, most certainly not, Spartacus.

They’re a complicated little lot, the DUP, are they not?

Mervyn Storey MLA is decidedly unexcited by the prospect of full frontal nudity, extreme violence and orgies, promised by the forthcoming television series ‘Spartacus’. In fact he’s called for it to be banned.

Regrettably we are not informed whether he canvassed the opinions of other film enthusiasts within the party before he issued his statement.

I was interested, however, in the juxtaposition between Storey’s take on ‘Spartacus’ and the fashion in which Culture Minister, Nelson McCausland blithely swatted away concerns that the HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’, due to be filmed in Northern Ireland, might be, well, extremely violent as well.

The grin was practically cracking Nelson’s face as he expressed his comfort with middle-ages themed, on screen violence.

Now either the DUP is quite relaxed about violence, and it’s the sex which makes it go all squirmy, or it doesn’t give a monkeys, as long as the filth is filling the coffers of Northern Ireland’s film industry.

Incidentally, Nelson, perhaps you could secure Jeffrey Donaldson an advance copy of ‘Spartacus’, so he can, you know, make up his own mind on the contents. Purely for research purposes - obviously.