Sinn Fein
The Week in Review
9-16 April 2014

Westminster Election Round-up

Sinn Fein committed to fair economy for all
On 15 April Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness spoke at the launch of the party’s candidates for the 7 May Westminster election. He said Sinn Féin was opposed to austerity and ‘committed to delivering a fair economy for all’.
He said that since coming to power, the Tory-led British Government had ‘reduced the Executive’s budget in real terms by £1.5 billion’ and that ‘vicious cuts to public services have been accompanied by a Thatcherite assault on the welfare state, on people with disabilities, the long-term sick and large families’.
He said the main British parties were ‘committed to further eye-watering cuts in public spending’, and argued ‘a new way is required to grow the economy, to create jobs and to deliver quality public services.’
Sinn Féin remained ‘opposed to austerity, returning economic power back into the hands of citizens and building a fair recovery’ he said, and pledged ‘following this election Sinn Féin will be seeking an immediate negotiation with the incoming British Government to; secure a viable budget to deliver public services; control economic powers to promote growth, jobs and prosperity; and protect those most in need’.
He urged any incoming British Government to ‘get the message that we will resist austerity and cuts to our public services, our economy and our citizens’.
He concluded: ‘a new budget is required to deliver public services and we need the fiscal powers necessary to determine our own economic policy, to stabilise the political institutions and build on the progress of the peace process.’
Sinn Fein’s election broadcast can be viewed here.

Voters have choice between austerity or equality
On 12 April Sinn Féin Chairperson Declan Kearney, and election candidate, said voters had ‘a choice between austerity and equality’ in the coming Westminster general election.
He said the election ‘presents voters with a choice between the continuation of failed austerity policies or the progressive politics of Sinn Féin.’ He said that Tory plans for an additional £30 billion in cutbacks, £12 billion of would come from welfare, would be ‘catastrophic’ and that Labour was ‘already… compromised by an acceptance of austerity.’
He said Sinn Féin pledged an ‘unambiguous commitment to equality’ which ‘sets Sinn Féin apart from every other party contesting this election in the North’. All of the unionist parties, including Alliance, ‘have accepted austerity’ he said. He argued: ‘Ideologically, the DUP and UUP have already bought into the austerity agenda. Their wider electoral pact is a negative, sectarian, and pro-austerity alliance now supported by Cameron’s Tory party. It offers nothing to the unionist working poor, jobless, and most deprived; or indeed any section of northern society.’
He said the alternative to the unionist/Tory ‘race to the bottom’ was ‘the type of vision, leadership, and strategy which rejects austerity, supports equality, and is committed to building the alliances across society to bring that about.’ He concluded ‘that should be the focus of all genuinely progressive parties and organisations in the coming weeks.’

Tories must explain alliance with unionism
Sinn Féin MLA Martin McGuinness has said the British Tory party must explain why they have joined with unionists in an anti-Sinn Féin electoral arrangement.
Mr McGuinness said that while the British Tories should explain why they were standing in all constituencies in the north, with the exception of North Belfast and Fermanagh/South Tyrone, where an anti-Sinn Fein unionist pact is in place.
He said this was ‘a clear attempt to prevent the election of two strong and articulate Sinn Féin MPs for these constituencies’. He said this called ‘relationship between unionism and the British Tories calls further into question any claim to even-handedness by the current British government’ and ‘raises serious questions about their ability to perform their role as guarantors of the Good Friday and subsequent agreements.’
He added ‘Clearly the Tories regard Sinn Féin as the only effective opposition to their attacks on public services and the most vulnerable in society. That is why they have joined with the DUP, the UUP, rejectionist unionists and loyalists in this anti-progressive alliance.’
He concluded: ‘I am confident the people of North Belfast and Fermanagh South Tyrone will reject this right-wing electoral alliance of unionists, loyalists and the British Tories.’

Unionists cannot represent all with no women candidates
On 10 April Sinn Féin candidate for Fermanagh South Tyrone Michelle Gildernew said the DUP’s failure to field any women candidates in the forthcoming elections was ‘another sign of a party stuck in the past.’ Ms Gildernew condemned ‘the complete absence of women candidates in the forthcoming elections for several unionist parties’ as ‘an absolute disgrace’.
She added ‘this 2015 and the failure of unionist parties including the DUP to field women candidates is astounding? Only in March of this year a report titled “Women in Politics” was unanimously endorsed on the floor of the Assembly. The DUP’s Stephen Moutray said in that debate: “The Assembly, political parties and the Executive cannot truly deliver for all their citizens if half the population remains underrepresented in the political arena”‘.
She said it was ‘clear from the DUP’s electoral intentions that they were only paying lip service to such an ideal’.

Sinn Fein Twitter official election hash flag #sinnfein
Sinn Féin’s Catherine Seeley this week welcomed the provision of a ‘hashflag’ by Twitter.
The Upper Bann candidate said that Sinn Féin has the largest Twitter profile of any political party on the island of Ireland with more than 33,000 followers. However, she added ‘despite this, Twitter had not created a hash flag for election posts and updates relating to Sinn Féin, even though they had done so for other political parties’.
After online criticism, Twitter have now provided SF with a general election ‘hashflag’. All the latest campaign news can be found at #SinnFein, Ms Seeley concluded

Northern and diaspora vote proposals fall short
On 13 April Sinn Féin Mid Ulster candidate Francie Molloy welcomed a proposal to give people in the north a vote in the Seanad but said it does not go far enough.
Mr Molloy said The report of the Seanad Reform Working Group which recommends that voters in the North should be allowed to vote in Seanad elections was welcome. but, he added ‘it does not go far enough in terms of ensuring wide-ranging democratic representation.’
Sinn Féin had ‘consistently argued that the right to vote in Seanad and Presidential elections should be extended to people living in the North and to the Irish diaspora.’ He added ‘We have called for this at local councils, in the Oireachtas and at the Constitutional Convention’.
He concluded ‘This is not just about northern nationalists and republicans; unionists and others who wish to vote in these elections should also have the opportunity to do so.’
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin Spokesperson for the Diaspora Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, echoed the sentiments and said that Enda Kenny’s proposal were ‘only a very small step to proper and full democratic representation.’
He said the any Representation for the diaspora in the Seanad ‘must be part of a major overhaul of that institution, which gets rid of the elitist nature of it and allows for all Irish citizens to have a say in electing its representatives’.
He added ‘Many Irish emigrants feel disenfranchised, frustrated and angry that they can’t vote in the upcoming referendums, local and general elections. They want their voice to be heard and respected and they want to be represented properly in the institutions of government here.
He concluded ‘The government have had four years to do something about these issues and I have no faith in them delivering any of the changes they promise before they have to go to the polls themselves again. Sinn Féin in government will deliver real reform in the area of voting rights for the diaspora and ensure that they are properly represented in our parliament and not just in a tokenistic fashion.’

Sinn Fein launch ‘Yes’ vote campaign
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams TD, last week spoke at the launch of the party’s Referendum campaign, has urged voters to ‘give a resounding Yes to both referendum issues’.
The referenda in 5 weeks time are to reduce the eligibility age for a candidate for the Presidential elections, and a second on marriage equality.
On the Marriage Equality Referendum, Mr Adams said it was about the right of everyone ‘to live their lives as full and contributing citizens and to share in the love of a family of their own.’ He appealed for ‘everyone to join the campaign for a Yes Vote’, concluding ‘Let’s get the biggest vote possible and ensure that on May 22nd both referendums are passed.’

Sinn Féin won’t push people with disabilities into poverty
On 10 April Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy said his party remained ‘committed to the implementation of protections for the most vulnerable people in society.’
Conor Murphy said Sinn Féin was ‘absolutely and consistently clear in our resistance to Tory cuts, particularly those which are targeted at the most vulnerable’ which remained ‘a red-line issue for Sinn Fein’.
He added ‘Other parties might be prepared to join with the Tories in implementing this Thatcherite attack on the most vulnerable as part of a self-serving, post-election deal with a Tory party committed to further austerity, further cuts and further erosion of our core public services. That is for them to explain. For our part and despite the enormous difficulties, Sinn Féin has sought to find a way forward over recent weeks.’
He concluded ‘We have had our full negotiating team available to do so. Any delay in reaching a resolution does not lie with Sinn Féin.’

McGuinness demands zero tolerance on racism
Sinn Fein MLA Martin McGuinness has called for a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to racism and hate crimes.
The Mid-Ulster MLA was speaking in the wake of a number of racist hate crimes in north Belfast and after it emerged that a Jamaican woman forced from her home in Country Antrim last year is now homeless.
Mr McGuinness said it was ‘an appalling situation that Kerry Ann Brown is now living in a hostel with her children after being forced out of her Newtownabbey home by repeated racist attacks. I intend to meet with her to assure her of my support and to offer whatever assistance I can to help her find suitable accommodation.’
He also strongly condemned ‘the racists and bigots who forced this family out of their home and those who this week attacked other families in Belfast’ but added ‘it isn’t enough for us to simply condemn such attacks. There needs to be a zero tolerance approach to the scourge or racism, sectarianism and all firms of bigotry and hate crime.’
He said ‘That means a zero tolerance approach, not just from the PSNI and the courts but also from our communities. Critically, we must hear unambiguous opposition to racism, sectarianism and homophobia from political leaders, particularly those who have influence in the areas where these crimes are occurring and where there is a level of orchestration.’
He concluded ‘Our entire society needs to demonstrate that we are not prepared to tolerate hate crime of any form. It is a scourge within our society and there is a responsibility on all of us to ensure it is eradicated.’

Sinn Fein welcome US-Cuba moves and calls for an end to the blockade
On 10 April Sinn Féin Leader Gerry Adams TD welcomed the latest moves by the Obama administration to restore diplomatic ties with Cuba.
Mr Adams’ remarks follow the US decision to remove Cuba from the list of ‘state sponsors of terrorism’.
Gerry Adams said: ‘I welcome yesterday’s meeting between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez in Panama and the fact that the US is to remove Cuba from a list of ‘state sponsors of terrorism’.
He said the developments ‘are further evidence of what can be achieved through dialogue and mutual trust. Like many people across the world I would hope the new and more positive relationship between both countries can lead to the removal of the blockade of Cuba.’

London & Liverpool 1916 Centenary Commemoration Committees
With the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising only a year away; Commemoration Committees have been established by the Irish Diaspora communities in London and Liverpool.
For people based in London, the ‘London Easter 1916 Centenary Committee‘ can be reached through their facebook account. The London Committee’s next event will be an ‘Irish Political, Historical and Social’ walking tour through central London on 4th May – further details for this can be found here.
This event will be followed, on the 16th May, by a Benefit Social for the London Committee, with the Tyrone Rebel Band ‘The Spirit Of Freedom’ in ‘Mannions’, Broad Lane, London – details for this event can be found here.
The ‘Liverpool Easter 1916 Commemoration Committee‘ can be reached through their facebook or twitter account. They currently hold monthly Committee Meetings in St Michael’s Irish Centre, Liverpool.

Week in Review is circulated by the Sinn Fein London office. Until May 7, you can reach us at irishunityconference@yahoo.com or follow the news on Twitter @sinnfeinireland or at www.sinnfein.ie.