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17/06/2002
Sinn Féin launch bid to overturn funding policy
Sinn Féin has launched a bid for a judicial review of a decision by the Electoral Commission to withhold funding from the party.
Papers were lodged at Belfast’s High Court today after other Northern Ireland parties received development grants of more than £130,000 in March.
The Electoral Commission has allocated policy development grants worth £133,921 to the Ulster Unionists, the Democratic Unionists, and the Nationalist SDLP.
However funding was denied to the republican party because it does not take its House of Commons seats.
Sinn Féin has four MPs at Westminster: party president Gerry Adams, vice president Pat Doherty, Martin McGuinness and Michelle Gildernew.
Speaking at Belfast’s High Court, Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP, Michelle Gildernew, said: “The decision of the Electoral Commission to deny Sinn Féin almost £100,000 which it is entitled to is both discriminatory and in bad faith. This judicial review is aimed at challenging this decision.
“Sinn Féin have twice the required number of MPs and should be entitled to this money as of right. As we witnessed at the last election, the majority of nationalists in the north support the Sinn Féin position on abstentionism.”
She added: “Sinn Féin do not expect or demand any more than we are entitled to. This decision by the Electoral Commission is part of the old, failed agenda which, for years, attempted to ignore or deny the Sinn Féin mandate.”
Amid controversy Sinn Féin was granted House of Commons offices earlier this year, despite refusing to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen.
(AMcE)
Papers were lodged at Belfast’s High Court today after other Northern Ireland parties received development grants of more than £130,000 in March.
The Electoral Commission has allocated policy development grants worth £133,921 to the Ulster Unionists, the Democratic Unionists, and the Nationalist SDLP.
However funding was denied to the republican party because it does not take its House of Commons seats.
Sinn Féin has four MPs at Westminster: party president Gerry Adams, vice president Pat Doherty, Martin McGuinness and Michelle Gildernew.
Speaking at Belfast’s High Court, Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP, Michelle Gildernew, said: “The decision of the Electoral Commission to deny Sinn Féin almost £100,000 which it is entitled to is both discriminatory and in bad faith. This judicial review is aimed at challenging this decision.
“Sinn Féin have twice the required number of MPs and should be entitled to this money as of right. As we witnessed at the last election, the majority of nationalists in the north support the Sinn Féin position on abstentionism.”
She added: “Sinn Féin do not expect or demand any more than we are entitled to. This decision by the Electoral Commission is part of the old, failed agenda which, for years, attempted to ignore or deny the Sinn Féin mandate.”
Amid controversy Sinn Féin was granted House of Commons offices earlier this year, despite refusing to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen.
(AMcE)
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Sinn Féin Matches Fine Gael In Electoral Support
Sinn Féin is neck-and-neck with Fine Gael in terms of electoral support in the Republic of Ireland, according to a new survey by the Irish Times. The latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll shows both parties on 24% of support, with Independents on 23%, Fianna Fail on 20% and Labour lingering behind on 9%.
17 September 2001
Sinn Féin faces claims of Fermanagh ‘electoral fraud’
Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has led a party delegation into the High Court in Belfast for a case into allegations of electoral fraud during the British general election in June. The action is being brought by Ulster Unionist James Cooper, who wants to eject Sinn Fein’s Michelle Gildernew as the MP for Fermanagh-South Tyrone.
Sinn Féin faces claims of Fermanagh ‘electoral fraud’
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15 January 2004
Adams warns of 'dangerous' political drift
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Adams warns of 'dangerous' political drift
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05 March 2004
UUP express 'utter disbelief' at SF electoral spending
Sinn Féin's electoral spending during last year's Assembly elections have been questioned by the Ulster Unionist Party. UUP MLA for Mid Ulster, Billy Armstrong, expressed his "utter disbelief" at the news that Sinn Féin spent just £28,000 on electioneering compared to £234,000 by the SDLP, £147,000 by the DUP and £170,000 by his own party.
UUP express 'utter disbelief' at SF electoral spending
Sinn Féin's electoral spending during last year's Assembly elections have been questioned by the Ulster Unionist Party. UUP MLA for Mid Ulster, Billy Armstrong, expressed his "utter disbelief" at the news that Sinn Féin spent just £28,000 on electioneering compared to £234,000 by the SDLP, £147,000 by the DUP and £170,000 by his own party.
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