MARTIN McGUINNESS is proud to be branded “as bad as the Greeks” by the Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, he told the Star yesterday.

In an exclusive interview, the Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister said he was “honoured” by the Tory minister’s attempted slight.

He was speaking on the day an article penned by Ms Villiers appeared in the Belfast Telegraph under the headline: “Northern Ireland politicians as bad as the Greeks.”

She warned some parties were going down the “path of reckless irresponsibility” by refusing to implement Tory welfare cuts that would “lead to the kind of politics now playing out in parts of Europe.”

But Mr McGuinness hit back, saying: “I think in saying that she bestows a great honour on us.

“We’re happy to be fighting austerity alongside all those in Europe who are very concerned about how austerity is impacting on society.”

The senior Sinn Fein figure spoke to the Star in Parliament during a two-day visit to seek support for the party’s campaign against cuts.

The Deputy First Minister has vetoed Tory welfare changes, including the bedroom tax.

But the Northern Ireland government now faces a £600 million budget deficit because its block grant has also been cut.

On Wednesday, Mr McGuinness warned MPs from British parties that the cuts are a greater danger to the power sharing deal than dissident republicans or loyalists.

And yesterday he met leaders of the People’s Assembly after speaking at its 250,000-strong demonstration in London last month.

Mr McGuiness said that, as a Stormont minister, “I have to work with the Tories.

“I also have to be true to myself as someone who is anti-austerity, is for the working class.

“I’m not going to have as my legacy that I was the person that was effectively the administrator of Tory cuts in the north of Ireland.”

Sinn Fein had been leading the polls in the Republic of Ireland until a recent slump.

Asked if negative comparisons with Greek ruling party Syriza would damage Sinn Fein’s 2016 election campaign, he said: “No, I think our anti-austerity message has struck a chord with people all over the island of Ireland.

“We’re at the forefront of these arguments defending the most vulnerable people in society and we’re very proud to do that.”