Sinn Féin denies considering post-election deal with Labour
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Version 0 of 1. Sinn Féin on Wednesday night dismissed reports that the party was in negotiations with British Labour MPs over a deal to prop up an Ed Miliband government following the general election. The party was responding to claims in The Sun newspaper that Sinn Féin was considering a post-election deal to support Milliband as prime minister. A party spokesperson said Sinn Féin remained an abstentionist party regarding Westminster and that this position would remain unchanged after the election in May. “Sinn Féin’s position on Westminster is very well known. We do not take our seats. “The story which appeared in The Sun is another example of lazy, fantasy journalism which is befitting of this particular newspaper,” the Sinn Féin spokesperson said. Although Sinn Féin have five MPs the party boycotts the House of Commons. The reports appear to have been prompted by a meeting between Sinn Féin deputy first minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness and Ed Miliband in Belfast last week. But the discussions during the Labour leader’s visit to the city were linked to peace process issues only, Labour has insisted. Labour’s shadow Northern Ireland secretary Ivan Lewis said the story was “untrue nonsense”. Lewis said: “Sinn Féin have said themselves that this story is ‘pure fiction’, and that absolutely no discussions have taken place. Labour’s record as an honest broker in Northern Ireland speaks for itself. “The Tories clearly intend to fight this election in the gutter. Peace and stability are far too important to be used as a party political football.” Meanwhile, the Democratic Unionist Party looks to mount a legal challenge over their exclusion from the live national TV debates during the election. Reports on the BBC earlier today suggested that BBC director general Tony Hall has written to the fourth largest party in the House of Commons confirming that they will be not be invited onto the televised debates. The DUP confirmed on Tuesday that it is considering legal action over the decision to keep them out of the live election discussions. DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s first minister Peter Robinson tonight described the BBC’s attitude as “irrational”. In a message on Twitter, Robinson confirmed that he had “received irrational response from BBC DG re: debates. No valid reason for DUP’s exclusion offered.” He said Lord Hall had “offered excuse that they couldn’t invite one NI party without the others”, adding: “Ignores fact that three parties currently invited stand in NI.” Earlier on Tuesday the prime minister said the DUP should be included in the debates given its strength at Westminster. |