O'Neill's attendance at IRA event doesn't make it easy to work with SF: DUP MP

Sinn Fein Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill's attendance at an IRA commemoration '˜doesn't make it easy' for unionists to work with her party, a DUP MP has said.
Michelle ONeill speaking at Sundays Loughgall commemoration in Cappagh, Co TyroneMichelle ONeill speaking at Sundays Loughgall commemoration in Cappagh, Co Tyrone
Michelle ONeill speaking at Sundays Loughgall commemoration in Cappagh, Co Tyrone

Gregory Campbell, MP for East Londonderry, told the News Letter that while his party is willing to work with Sinn Fein to avoid what he called “government by remote control” – direct rule – he said Ms O’Neill’s attendance at the IRA commemoration was “repugnant”.

On Sunday, she gave a speech at an event in Cappagh, Co Tyrone, held for eight IRA men shot dead by the SAS in Loughgall in 1987.

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The men were killed as they approached Loughgall RUC station with a bomb in a hijacked digger. A civilian was also killed in the ambush.

Ms O’Neill has come in for criticism over her attendance from both unionist politicians and victims of IRA violence.

TUV leader Jim Allister had afterwards questioned “why any unionist would grovel to get back into government with such an outfit”.

Mr Campbell said that while Ms O’Neill’s attendance at the commemoration was unsurprising, it was “utterly abhorrent”.

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He said: “It might have been more surprising had she been invited and turned it down – but that doesn’t make it any less repugnant.

“It is totally and utterly abhorrent to unionists and I’m sure to many nationalists as well, that somebody should be paying tribute to those who were trying to murder innocent policemen.”

He added: “The business of working with Sinn Fein – it doesn’t make it easy.”

Mr Campbell explained the DUP’s reasoning for working with the republican party in spite of those difficulties, saying: “There were two requirements of Sinn Fein – and this is way back to St Andrews.

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“They had to support the courts, the police and the rule of law. They were part of a movement that itself would have shot police rather than give them support. They would have refused to recognise the courts rather than support them. They would rather break the rule of law than support it.

“They had to do a 180 degree turn and they had to have support from the community. If they didn’t get votes we wouldn’t have to work with them.

“They have met both those requirements, however reluctant they might have been to do the first one.”

He added: “It doesn’t make it any easier to work with them.”

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Asked whether, as has been suggested by unionists such as Mr Allister, direct rule might be preferable, Mr Campbell said: “Direct rule isn’t our first option. It will only become an option if Sinn Fein refuse to work with us.

“They say they are out to end British rule, but by their intransigence they will be reimplementing English rule. Direct rule isn’t a good option, we think, because it is government by remote control.

“It’s not locally elected politicians who take decisions and are answerable to the local electorate. If we’re left with that option, and that’s the only option left on the table, that will be Sinn Fein’s call.”