Republican News · Thursday 15 May 2003

Murphy in London to make case for democracy

Sinn Féin leader of the former Assembly and Representative for Newry/Armagh, Conor Murphy, was in London on Tuesday 13 May during the passage of a Bill through the British House of Commons attempting to legitimise the action of Tony Blair in removing indefinitely the democratic franchise of the people living in the North of Ireland.

Speaking at a Westminster news conference, Murphy said there was "deep anger right across Ireland" that the elections were put off.

Mr Murphy said:

"It is a dark day for democracy. A British government that claims to have fought a war in Iraq to establish democracy - even though few believe this - sees no irony in removing the right of Irish people to elect the representatives of their choice, to political institutions. Political institutions that were established by referenda on the island of Ireland where neither Tony Blair nor any of his government has a democratic mandate.

"If there is to be even a semblance of democracy and if we are to demonstrate the supremacy of politics then the situation demands that Tony Blair rescinds his indefinite postponement of elections in the North of Ireland. There is no valid reason why elections should not proceed as planned but if not then Tony Blair should set a date no later than June so that the people can exercise their choice of political representation. The British government have unilaterally decided at the stroke of a pen to do away with elections. No government has the right to deny the people the right to vote. Although they may have the power, no British government has the right to cancel elections in Ireland. Mr Blair's demand of more clarity from the IRA was a 'smokescreen' designed to obscure the fact that the Ulster Unionists did not want elections.

"It is a severe blow to democracy in the North that the entire population have been denied the right to vote. It is regrettable that the bill that the government have brought forward through the House has no fixed date for any election in the autumn.

"This is a denial of democracy. It is not just republicans; it is all of the voters in the north of Ireland who have been denied an opportunity to exercise their franchise. This sends a very bad signal to those who say that the British government are not serious."