AN MP said the fact he has armed escorts whenever he visits Northern Ireland does not hide the province’s positive transformation since he first served there 30 years ago.

Former soldier Kris Hopkins, who completed two tours of the province with the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in the late 1980s, was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office in July. Reflecting on his first five months in the role, the Keighley MP and former leader of Bradford Council said: "I usually go to Northern Ireland twice a week. Although the security situation has changed massively, there's still a threat to people like myself so I constantly have an armed security team with me as soon as I step off the plane and for the whole time I'm there.

"On the one hand it's reassuring, but it does seem strange to have armed escorts while I'm doing things like meeting community groups, councillors or just popping into Tesco to get some provisions.

"However, this is not representative of life for most people in Northern Ireland now.

"In the past it was awful. More than 3,500 people were murdered and it was a very sad period.

"At the time I left I never thought I'd see peace in Northern Ireland. To be able to go back now and get such a positive response shows what monumental changes have taken place."

Mr Hopkins explained that his role involves himself and the Government's Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire supporting the province's devolved assembly and acting as a link to the British Government.

His brief also includes electoral reform, liaising with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and with intelligence agencies.

"There are still a handful of lethal terrorist organisations with murderous intentions who've killed six people within the last 12 months," he added.

"One of our roles is making sure we do everything we can to defeat these individuals.

"These are small numbers of desperate people who want to take things back to the bad old days.

"There are also paramilitary hangovers from the days of the Troubles who aren't fighting ideologically anymore, despite pretending to be on one side or the other. Much of it is actually about drugs and extortion.

"This is a challenge for the Northern Ireland Assembly and we [the British Government] have put in an extra £25 million to support it with this particular issue.

"After the Good Friday Agreement a vast majority of people have wanted to go down the peaceful route instead.

"I'm never going to be close friends with someone like deputy first minister and former IRA leader Martin McGuinness, but the fact he's put his weapons down and the Provisional IRA are backing change through political means should be applauded.

"As the Good Friday Agreement was in 1998, it means that this year was the first time 18-year-olds in Northern Ireland were voting and had not experienced the violence of the past.

"Though they are still aware of the history, they're being able to make their own political choices while being one generation removed from that kind of violence. This is something to celebrate."

Mr Hopkins, who had opposed Britain leaving the European Union, said everyone he has spoken to during his time at the Northern Ireland Office, is strongly in favour of the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic remaining open, despite the Brexit vote.

He said: "This will be our only direct land border with the EU and without exception people I've spoken to tell me they want to be able to continue to trade across it.

"There are also people who own properties on both side of the border, or have family living on both sides. We need to build their needs into the negotiations too."

Mr Hopkins said he sees some parallels between the fight to combat segregation between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland and the efforts to reduce friction between different communities in Keighley.

He noted that despite the hugely improved security environment, "Peace Lines" – walls erected to try and prevent violence between different communities – still exist in parts of urban Northern Ireland.

"Long-term change will require sustained effort to bring people from different backgrounds together," he said.