Sir Van Morrison has issued legal proceedings against Northern Irish politician Robin Swann over an opinion piece published in 2020.

The Health Minister criticised the Northern Irish singer-songwriter's stance on Covid-19 restrictions in a Rolling Stone op-ed published in September 2020, BBC News reports.

In the piece, Swann described the songs Morrison wrote on the issue as "dangerous" and a "smear" on those involved in the public health response to the virus.

In his songs, released in 2020, Morrison protested against the Covid-19 lockdowns and claimed scientists were "making up crooked facts" about the virus to "enslave" the population.

A spokesperson for Morrison has confirmed the Brown Eyed Girl singer filed for legal action against both Swann and Northern Ireland's Department of Health as co-writers of the Rolling Stone article.

"We confirm that legal proceedings have been issued against Mr Robin Swann MLA and the Department of Health as co-publishers of an op-ed in Rolling Stone," the spokesperson said.

Last year, Swann took legal action against Morrison after the singer called him "very dangerous" during a June 2021 dinner.