Republican News · Thursday 13 March 1997

Mowlam prevents dialogue

MARTINA McILKENNY, chairperson of Sinn Féin in Belfast, has accused the leadership of the British Labour Party of running away from its responsibility over Ireland.

Labour's Selly Oak MP Lynne Jones and Birmingham City councillors were scheduled to meet McIlkenny during a five day trip organised by the Birmingham Women and Ireland Group but pulled out of the meeting after the Labour party leadership threatened them with ``disciplinary action''.

McIlkenny said that twelve Labour councillors agreed to meet with her privately and that she addressed trade union officials and other political activists at a trade union organised meeting ``which was well attended and well received.''

``The leadership of the British Labour Party are running from their responsibility over Ireland by refusing to talk with Sinn Féin, but when they actually threaten disciplinary action against any of their elected representatives willing to talk to us it will leave a cloud over any future attempts to rebuild the peace process''.

McIlkenny said that she had been told that the order preventing her meeting the Labour representatives came from Mo Mowlam's office. ``This bodes ill for any post-election dialogue, Northern Nationalists won't have too much confidence in someone who is actively preventing talking,'' she said.

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