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Brexit
Original poster

Sinn Fein

40 replies

darksideofbuttonmoon · 09/08/2019 07:59

Can anyone give me any insight into the chances of Sinn Fein MPs taking up their seats at Westminster in an attempt to stop Brexit? I've come across articles as recent as April where they reject the idea. But is this still the case? Even with the real prospect of a hard border between NI and ROI?

OP posts:
bellinisurge · 09/08/2019 08:06

No. They won't. They have no reason to ( from their perspectives

bellinisurge · 09/08/2019 08:06

No. They won't. They have no reason to ( from their perspective.

Etino · 09/08/2019 08:08

@bellinisurge do they not? I’d have thought he opposite, that sf do not want a hard border.

WhatdoImean · 09/08/2019 08:10

If there is a hard border, it is likely that there will be increased drive towards people joining the ROI - i.e. unification, something they are after as their ultimate goal.

Also... they have refused to vote in the UK Parliament since they were elected. As such, taking both together, I would say that the chances are near zero.

Sorry

Lazydaisies · 09/08/2019 08:11

Mary Lou McDonald recently wrote an article in the Irish Times outlines SF position on this. They won’t do it.

bellinisurge · 09/08/2019 08:14

SF, like Corbyn want chaos from which they will emerge triumphant. They have no interest in doing anything that is positive for their "constituents " that might also be good for the UK. They are pissed off that ROI is actually now more progressive.
I would love them to stand aside and let the SDLP win a series of snap by-elections. SDLP would take their seats and stop this fucking No Deal madness through weight of numbers.

RuffleCrow · 09/08/2019 08:17

Goodness, it's going to hit NI worse than anywhere else isn't it? Haven't they been through enough? I've been watching Derry Girls which is set in the years just before the Good Friday agreement was signed, and the conflict is just always 'there', even in the most mundane or humorous situations. We can't let them go back to that Sad

bellinisurge · 09/08/2019 08:22

It's shocking that people in mainland UK don't realise how dangerous this is for NI. They think it's just bollocks about believing and "not giving into terrorism ". Although they don't have a word to say about the Westminster area becoming a no-go area due to right wing thugs - as reported by a disabled poster on another thread who had the "pleasure " of encountering them when she strayed into the badlands of Westminster bridge.

AlexaShutUp · 09/08/2019 08:22

I suspect they see Brexit as the best hope for breaking up the UK and ultimately re-unifying Ireland.

bellinisurge · 09/08/2019 08:24

I think that's exactly it @AlexaShutUp

Etino · 09/08/2019 09:52

This is so sad and frightening. I’m retreating into ‘all will be ok’ thinking for my sanity. This film is wonderful.

Hazardtired · 09/08/2019 10:00

Not a chance. There was an opinion piece in the Irish times which was wild about doing a deal with Sinn Fein MPs. The deal would be giving up their seats to trigger by election where everyone would support neutral candidates just to stop brexit. Once brexit is stopped those neutral MPs would step down and Sinn MPs would stand again. That unlikely and far fetched scenario is more likely then Sinn Fein MPs taking up their seats.

whyamidoingthis · 09/08/2019 10:11

@bellinisurge - SF, like Corbyn want chaos from which they will emerge triumphant. They have no interest in doing anything that is positive for their "constituents " that might also be good for the UK

I think that is a very unfair comment. I am no Sinn Féin supporter but they are very strong on the ground in terms of constituency work.

Sinn Féin's ultimate goal is a united Ireland so that is obviously going to be paramount to them. A no deal brexit will bring that goal closer.

Sinn Féin have always stood on an abstentionist policy. Their supporters voted for them on that basis. The requirement to swear an oath of allegiance to, what they see as, the queen of a collonial power is abhorrent to them.

bellinisurge · 09/08/2019 10:15

They are happy to take the King's shilling in Westminster expenses.

NoBaggyPants · 09/08/2019 10:16

Knew it wouldn't be long until someone brought Corbyn into this. He's said he supports a new referendum, and no one can dispute the work he does for his constituency and for the nation as a whole. How many other leaders do you see visiting communities around the country every weekend? Unless of course you're being willfully blind.

Change the record. It's so dull.

bellinisurge · 09/08/2019 10:18

He works for the nation 😂😂😂😂

SonEtLumiere · 09/08/2019 10:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MockerstheFeManist · 09/08/2019 10:20

SF want Brexit because they think it will lead to a border poll. And who cares if the Irish economy is fucked in the process.

Tiocfaidh ár lá

(And do you really think those photogenic blondes are really in charge?)

whyamidoingthis · 09/08/2019 10:35

@bellinisurge - They are happy to take the King's shilling in Westminster expenses.

So? That's perfectly reasonable to allow them to represent their constituents within their parameters. They're a damn site cheaper than the rest of the MPs.

www.sinnfein.ie/contents/16460 details what they take. And yes, I know it's the Sinn Féin website and needs to be taken with the usual grain of salt.

Sinn Féin MPs are denied MP’s salaries from Westminster, £100,000 per annum in Policy Development Grants which is given to political opponents in the SDLP and DUP.

Sinn Féin MPs have not claimed: Overnight allowances of £25.00 per day, The Communications Allowance of £10,000 per MP per annum, Food expenses.

MPs claim: Staff Costs, Additional Accommodation Allowances for their London accommodation

Daddybegood · 09/08/2019 10:38

Bellinisurge. I believe that the often spouted claim that Sinn Fein take salaries/expenses etc from Westminster is an untruth peddled by the right wing press with a pro brexit "no surrender" agenda. Please google it.
People saying Sinn Fein should stand down their seats should ask their own Mps to stand down first as it is they, not Sinn Fein that have put us in this mess.
Sinn Fein stood on an abstentionist ticket that was voted in by significant majorities in those constituencies. They have not backtracked nor let their voters down but are now being made a scapegoat by tory/labour voters that somehow they have it in their power to stop brexit.....nope blame the people that voted for this mess and ask them to stop it.
Tbh it sounds like just another ploy to blame NI Irish Catholics and reigniting the bigotry and apartheid attitudes towards them that was so prevalent during the troubles.
I see nobody is calling for the DUP to give up their seats or recalling that Sammy Wilson called for all Catholics civilians in NI to be "expelled, nullified or interned"
But let's all say that it's SinnFeins fault cos they get a United Ireland out of it hmmm..

Sakura7 · 09/08/2019 10:45

Their electorate in NI vote for them precisely because they don't take their seats. Their abstention policy has existed for decades, and to reverse it would fundamentally challenge the party's identity. I'm no great fan of Sinn Fein but some of the posts here (i.e. they're doing it to ensure Brexit happens) are ridiculously simplistic and completely ignore the historical context.

bellinisurge · 09/08/2019 10:55

I'm a Catholic with an Irish born mum. I despise SF.

Linwin · 09/08/2019 11:02

Anyone suggesting that either Sinn Fein take their seats in Westminster or stand down and let others take their seats doesn’t know very much about NI politics or NI in general.

I am no great lover of SF and don’t vote for them but no way would I expect them to do this and their electorate would not support it. This is not their mess to clean up and they would be pilloried by the other side if they attempted to intervene, it would be a no win situation for them.

The DUP on the other hand, now that they can see clearly the damage that No Deal will cause in NI and to the Union, yet they continue to support it, well that really is unforgivable.

whyamidoingthis · 09/08/2019 11:28

@bellinisurge - I'm a Catholic with an Irish born mum. I despise SF.

I don't see the relevance of your religion or ethnicity. I'm catholic (well, culturally, at least), I'm Irish. I'm not a fan of Sinn Féin and would never vote for them but I can at least see that they work very hard for their constituents and that they are not availing of the expenses system beyond what is necessary for them to do their work (accommodation and staff). While they don't take their seats, they do engage with the british government and so need a presence in London.

I agree with @Daddybegood 's point that suggesting they should take their seats is an attempt at scapegoating. Quite aside from the fact that they haven't enough seats to make a difference, they are not responsible for this mess. British, not Irish, MPs have caused this mess. They have the numbers to sort it out. Unfortunately, they just won't.