Sinn Fein Foyle MP Elisha McCallion with party MPs in London
THE British Government are in clear disarray over legacy investigations and an Irish unity referendum, Sinn Féin MP Elisha McCallion has said.
Commenting after a Sinn Féin delegation met with the British Secretary of State in London today, the Foyle MP said:
“We strongly challenged Karen Bradley on the British Prime Minister’s claim that the only people being investigated over conflict-related deaths are British armed forces.
“This was grossly insulting to victims and a blatantly untrue claim that has now been entirely discredited from a range of sources, including the former Justice Minister and the PSNI Chief Constable.
“We told Karen Bradley in no uncertain terms that her Prime Minister should now do the decent thing and formally withdraw these damaging remarks.
“We also took issue with the reported comments from Theresa May opposing a referendum on Irish Unity because she fears she would lose it.
“Effectively, the British Prime Minister was conceding that the Good Friday Agreement threshold for triggering a Unity poll has been met but she isn’t prepared to allow the people of Ireland, North and South, to exercise their democratic right.
“That is an appalling display of contempt for the democratic rights of Irish citizens and today Karen Bradley again claimed that the threshold for a Unity referendum has not been met.
“So she is saying one thing and Theresa May is saying another. This is just another example of the clear disarray within this Tory Government.
“On five occasions now Sinn Féin has asked the British Secretary of State to set out the criteria whereby they come to the conclusion that the threshold has not been met.
“They have yet to produce a shred of documentation to justify this decision. That simply isn’t good enough. They are undermining the Good Friday Agreement and denying democratic rights to Irish citizens without any justification whatsoever.”
Tags: