SF should get involved in Brexit talks and stop lobbying from the sidelines, says Dodds

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds says Sinn Fein should get involved in the Brexit negotiations and help secure the best deal for Northern Ireland, rather than lobbying from the outside.
Nigel Dodds MPNigel Dodds MP
Nigel Dodds MP

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and vice president Michelle O’Neill are due to hold talks with Prime Minister Theresa May today.

The meeting is expected to focus on a number of key issues including Brexit, power sharing and legacy investigations.

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Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster ahead of the meeting, Michelle O’Neill claimed the lack of a devolved Assembly for the past 18 months was “the price of the Tory-DUP pact”.

She accused the DUP of “failing to deliver on people’s rights” and said securing “the same rights for all citizens” will be one of the issues raised with Mrs May.

Ms O’Neill claimed her party wants to see the devolved institutions back up and running again and called for a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.

Reacting to the Sinn Fein representative’s comments, Mr Dodds branded the intergovernmental conference “a talking shop” and hit back at the republican party for walking away from the Executive, the Assembly and refusing to take their seats at Westminster.

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Mr Dodds said Sinn Fein talk about rights yet “continue to eulogise terrorists” and “continue to traumatise victims”.

Accusing the republican party of playing the “blame game”, he said devolution should be restored without preconditions so that MLAs can get back to working for the best outcomes for Northern Ireland.

On the issue of Brexit, Mr Dodds said Sinn Fein should get involved in the negotiations rather than lobbying from the sidelines and asking their political opponents to deliver for them.

“The DUP are at the centre of the negotiations, are at the centre of playing our role at Westminster and Michelle O’Neill’s seven MPs, where are they? They are not even playing any role. Instead she is lobbying on the outside. We are in there fighting for Northern Ireland.

“People know that at Westminster we will play a central role in delivering and safeguarding Northern Ireland’s position going forward as we exit the European Union,” he said.