http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12255189

Danny Morrison is advocating George Galloway as a successor to Gerry Adams in West Belfast, stating Galloway could raise issues regarding collusion in the British House of Parliament e.t.c, In my opinion this is further evidence of SF moving away from the policy of abstention and embracing the idea of Commons representation.

At the last general election something very fundamental occurred in South Belfast, when SF's Alex Maskey stood aside to give the SDLP's candidate Alaisdair McDonnell a free run. For the first time in the party's history, Sinn Fein endorsed and asked their voters to vote for a non abstentionist MP. It is very clear what direction the party is heading in, while I support SF's peace, economic and social policies, I do not believe the republican cause can gain anything whatsoever from taking seats in Westminster.

I would be interested in the opinions of fellow republicans regarding this issue.

artisan (Down) - Posts: 1794 - 22/01/2011 09:20:25    851568

No way.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 22/01/2011 10:38:30    851581

All republicans or just you're brand of it??

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 22/01/2011 11:13:13    851595

I agree, I can't see what they could gain. Interesting stuff.

hurlinspuds (Cork) - Posts: 1494 - 22/01/2011 11:13:41    851596

distance is a thing a have had to do regarding the party i supported for years as my family continue to do , sadly thats how i feel and the directions they were taking made me no longer having the faith i used to have in sinn fein , thats me speaking from my heart , no bad intention , i do not wish to hurt the party either or other republicans who may feel this is right , but thats my stance on this , certain things continue to be stripped away from what the fundamental heart beat of this party used to stand for , yet another example which furthers enhances my beliefs in which direction they are taken , or willing to take for that matter . this is wrong .

ta32 (Tyrone) - Posts: 4907 - 22/01/2011 11:27:29    851601

While the oath to the British monarch remains there will be NO Sinn Fein MP or anyone else speaking in their name sitting in the House of Commons; it's as simple as that. You cannot call yourself an Irish Republican and give your allegiance to a British monarch whose armies carried out so many atrocities in Ireland in the name of Empire and colonialism. Parties like Fine Gael and John Bruton may believe that fawning over English royalty and embarrassing yourself with cringeing forelock tugging speeches to them is OK but most Irish, North and South, don't.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9817 - 22/01/2011 12:53:54    851637

No Sinn Fein MP will ever stand in Westminster.
It would first have to be passed at Ard Fheis by the orsinary party membership and that will never happen.

Dr.Shephard (Leitrim) - Posts: 2187 - 22/01/2011 13:36:09    851662

Dr.Shephard
County: Leitrim
Posts: 1949

851662
No Sinn Fein MP will ever stand in Westminster.
It would first have to be passed at Ard Fheis by the orsinary party membership and that will never happen.

Do you not see what is happening here. The shinners are trying to get a representative for Sinn Fein through the backdoor. I dont see what the problem is, they have already accepted partition in the Island of Ireland and administer British rule in Northern Ireland. Honestly whats the difference?

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 22/01/2011 13:45:41    851667

I can not ever see it happening while the oath remains. Paddy it is much too simplistic to say Sinn Fein in Stormont is the same thing. The greatest disservice Sinn Fein ever did to this country was their policy of Abstention from The Dail and Stormont. It left the Unionists FF and FG to put in place the policies and apparatus that embedded British rule in the 6 bcounties without hindrance. The Nationalists and true Republicans were left without a voice for 70+ years and we can all see now where that has brought us. There has been no balance of philosophies on any part of this Island. The SDLP and Labour are as far right as the unionists and FF and FG. Whether it is wanted or not Ireland needs Sinn Fein.

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 22/01/2011 14:15:53    851680

The next logical and sensible step.

Imagine the scenario at Westminster. "All those in favour of a United Ireland say aye".

That was defeated by one vote because the Sinn Fein people were not there...............

If you want to change something, you have to be part of it.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 22/01/2011 14:59:33    851707

Ulsterman you're an Irish Republican but are more than happy to take the Queen's shilling working for Her Majesty's Civil Service, your morals can be easily bought it seems. It's about time Sinn Fein gave up this ridiculous notion of not taking their seats, the people elected them to make a difference and how can they do that by not taking their seats. I'm not a fan of Sinn Fein by any means but fair play to them is this is a route they are willing to go down

pplocal (Tyrone) - Posts: 5878 - 22/01/2011 15:07:08    851714

PomeroyPlunkett
County: Tyrone
Posts: 2378

851714
Ulsterman you're an Irish Republican but are more than happy to take the Queen's shilling working for Her Majesty's Civil Service, your morals can be easily bought it seems. It's about time Sinn Fein gave up this ridiculous notion of not taking their seats, the people elected them to make a difference and how can they do that by not taking their seats. I'm not a fan of Sinn Fein by any means but fair play to them is this is a route they are willing to go down



The people who elected them, knew that they would not be taking their seats, yet still voted for them.
I presume that this means that these same voters supprt Sinn Feins abstentionist policies in regard to Westminster.

Dr.Shephard (Leitrim) - Posts: 2187 - 22/01/2011 15:27:32    851726

sinn fein have no problem taking the pay for the job but wont do the work- these people have absolutely no shame its a absolute disgrace- isuppose when you look at their voters it makes sense

liathroidboy (Mayo) - Posts: 4921 - 22/01/2011 16:21:01    851753

22/01/2011 11:27:29
ta32
County: Tyrone
Posts: 3536

851601
distance is a thing a have had to do regarding the party i supported for years as my family continue to do , sadly thats how i feel and the directions they were taking made me no longer having the faith i used to have in sinn fein , thats me speaking from my heart , no bad intention , i do not wish to hurt the party either or other republicans who may feel this is right , but thats my stance on this , certain things continue to be stripped away from what the fundamental heart beat of this party used to stand for , yet another example which furthers enhances my beliefs in which direction they are taken , or willing to take for that matter . this is wrong .




Yes. Winning is awful, getting things done is awful. I mean at this rate there will be a United Ireland in about 10 years.

Much better to spend the next 200 years fighting for it. Think of all the "young boys dying in the ditches" we could have in that time.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 22/01/2011 16:36:22    851762

patrique.
i am afraid i do not share your optimism , even as much as would love to pat .

ta32 (Tyrone) - Posts: 4907 - 22/01/2011 18:05:05    851806

So, if there was no oath of loyalty to the Queen, then it would be ok for SF to take their seats in Westminster, the very heart of the empire, bizarre to say the least. And is there any where else in the world where the elceted representatives of one single party sit in FOUR different parliaments?

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 22/01/2011 19:23:04    851859

I've criticised Sinn Fein on other threads but this would be another positive step on the road to a truly United Ireland. As Patrique said if you want to change something you have to be involved. If you're going to abstain from Parliament than you also have to refuse to recognise the police force, the courts and the whole state apparatus like the original Sinn Fein did during the War of Independence. Sinn Fein can't do that as it will pull down the peace process.

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 23/01/2011 12:19:34    851980

Artisan - I don't think your theory bears any credance.

Hardline representatives within Stormont who reside in Bettystown would not stand for this!!!!!!!!

No.15 (Down) - Posts: 193 - 23/01/2011 13:28:44    852014

The oath should not be the issue here, dogma has held us back for too long. It is our duty to calmly and studiously examine the pros and cons of such a strategy and reach a rationale decision. If there are tangible benefits to taking seats at Westminster then I would have no problem with republican representatives taking such an oath. However I don't see the benefit, I don't see how this could advance the republican goals of reunification and on that basis alone I reject the idea. Our focus should be attaining speaking rights in Dail Eireann for the north's MP's.

It is being considered though, I have no doubt about that. When Danny Morrison writes "It would be us 'invading' them, a major reversal of colonialism, a statement of our internationalism" then he is quite clearly initiating the debate.

artisan (Down) - Posts: 1794 - 23/01/2011 16:15:08    852099

artisan.
the oath has a lot to do with it , to say otherwise is a inclination of ones thinking in all of this , i am sorry i have to say this , but i am actually very disapointed you would have these thoughts and still claim to be a genuine republican , and the other flip side of it i could be wrong , and you still do not understand the intentions of this so called republican that you follow and believe and wait on every word and spiced up dosssier that they throw up to nationalists and republican alike , while i am afraid to inform you people are wising up to them , and the more that leave the false intentions and lies the better , this is another step back from unifacation of this country and you know this deep down right well , people died and lie in republican plots up and down this country because they would not swear a oath , now with even further provacation sinn fein are going to dance on theit graves and memories . it makes me sick .

ta32 (Tyrone) - Posts: 4907 - 23/01/2011 17:08:47    852139