Green Party's rationale on rejecting SF/SDLP pact '˜cruelly ironic'

It is 'cruelly ironic' that the Green Party has rejected an election pact with Sinn Fein and the SDLP because one of the key candidates involved is pro-life.
Steven Agnew said Alasdair McDonnell's anti-abortion beliefs were one of the reasons a pact founderedSteven Agnew said Alasdair McDonnell's anti-abortion beliefs were one of the reasons a pact foundered
Steven Agnew said Alasdair McDonnell's anti-abortion beliefs were one of the reasons a pact foundered

That is the view from Troubles victims’ group Innocent Victims United (IVU), which was responding to the rationale given by Green leader Steven Agnew as to why he will not strike a deal with the pro-united Ireland parties.

IVU said it is “deeply concerned” that Sinn Fein’s ties to violent extremism appeared not to have played a part in the Greens’ rejection of the deal.

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The electoral pact had been billed as a chance to unite different anti-Brexit parties together to win more seats in the upcoming general election.

Kenny DonaldsonKenny Donaldson
Kenny Donaldson

It was mooted by the SDLP last week, but only the Greens and Sinn Fein showed any interest. Such a deal could have involved planning a joint strategy to help Sinn Fein seize a number of seats which are almost within its reach, and helping the SDLP keep the tough seat of South Belfast.

But talks collapsed on Tuesday when the Green Party declared that it had been unable to overcome a number of key barriers.

Mr Agnew had said the SDLP’s choice of Alasdair McDonnell as a candidate in South Belfast “effectively put to an end any chance” that a deal could be struck there, due to “his position at the forefront of the SDLP anti-choice policy”.

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It added: “We also met with Sinn Fein about a pro-remain pact. However, they failed to provide any indication that they would take their Westminster seats.”

Kenny DonaldsonKenny Donaldson
Kenny Donaldson

Concerns had been voiced last week about what seemed to be an emerging closeness of the SDLP and Sinn Fein, with Ann Travers (sister of IRA murder victim Mary) stating she would never support the SDLP again if it forged a deal with the IRA-linked party.

However, the Greens – who have non-violence as one of their four key values – made no mention of any misgivings about this aspect of any pact.

Kenny Donaldson, spokesman for IVU (which is an umbrella group comprised of 23 organisations with an estimated 11,500 members) said: “IVU is deeply concerned at the rationale given by the Green Party for it not being willing to advance an anti-Brexit electoral pact with Sinn Fein/PIRA and SDLP.”

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He said there is “a cruel irony in its rationale that because of Alasdair McDonnell’s pro-life stance they feel unable to do business – but apparently they would have no difficulty in being part of a collective involving Sinn Fein/PIRA, a movement which has always been on the side of taking life”.

He said it was not for IVU to take any stance on abortion itself. He stressed that the “PIRA’s past is Sinn Fein’s present”, and that it still engages in “terrorism idolatry”.

In early 2015, Mr Agnew had sparked criticism when he suggested that outlawing paramilitary groups might be counter-productive.

He later clarified that the Greens would not move to “decriminalise terrorist organisations” and stressed once more his opposition to all terrorism, as well as meeting IVU to hear its concerns on the issue.

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Mr Donaldson concluded: “The Green Party and others need to understand that the party remains rooted to the belief that there was justification for the murder of one neighbour on another.”

The News Letter asked for an interview with Mr Agnew to explain his rationale further, but was told he was not available. Mr Donaldson’s comments were put to the party late on Wednesday, but no response had been received at time of writing.