Sinn Fein in London

Sinn Fein’s new MPs have arrived in London – but have not taken up their seats in Parliament.

Sinn Fein MPs refuse to take an oath of allegiance to the Queen. But controversially, they receive the pay, allowances and facilities of MPs.

Following the IMC’s assertion last year that Sinn Fein was still intimately involved with the IRA, there had been calls for such privileges to be revoked. But Conor Murphy MP said that Sinn Fein would fight to keep them.

Mr Murphy said the use of the facilities were “in line with out substantial electoral mandate”, adding: “Of course in recent times on foot of flawed and inaccurate reports from the IMC the British Secretary of State, an individual with no mandate on Ireland, has chosen to impose sanctions on democratically elected Irish politicians. This has included financial and political discrimination against Sinn Fein and our electorate. This is unacceptable.”