SF sanctions ‘weak and feeble’ - Trimble

The financial sanctions imposed on Sinn Fein at Westminster last week have been labelled as “weak and feeble” by Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble.

Speaking in the House of Commons during a debate on a Government Motion to remove financial support for Sinn Fein’s MPs following recent allegations of republican involvement in criminality, Mr Trimble said he and his party colleagues would give “lukewarm support to the weak and feeble motion”.

However, Mr Trimble said the Government would have to put more pressure on Sinn Fein following the successful motion. “The Government's failure to insist rigorously on the basic principles of the Agreement is not helping at all, and is likely to reinforce among republicans the view that if they hunker down and wait, after a short and not even decent interval the Government, the Irish Government and others will return to negotiations with them,” the Upper Bann MP said.

The Government motion was passed without a vote on Thursday following the debate over recommendations made by the Independent Monitoring Commission in February.

However, a further censure, an amendment to withdraw access for Sinn Fein from the Palace of Westminster was not carried.

Speaking during the debate, Secretary of State Paul Murphy said IRA criminality was holding up the current process. “The Government wants to do all that it can to ensure the process in Northern Ireland moves on and we can only do that if the IRA stops its criminal activity,” he said.

“The criminal activity of the IRA must be sorted out but today’s debate is an opportunity to show deep disapproval at what has happened.”

Last year Sinn Fein’s four MP received a combined total of almost £440,000 in House of Commons allowances.

(MB/SP)