Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan accused of advocating censorship

During a weekend interview with EuroParl Radio, Lynn Boylan described the former Ukip leader as “somebody who has whipped up so much hate against all immigrants,” and said: “The Late Late Show went to London to do a show on the diaspora, the Irish emigrants to Britain, and they brought on Nigel Farage. What was he doing on that show? Why are we giving this man air time on the Irish airwaves to whip up hate against people?”

A number of Irish citizens on Twitter said it was ironic that Dublin MEP Ms Boylan would advocate censoring politicians “in the same way the British tried to gag Sinn Fein during the Troubles”.

One said: “Well said, Lynn Boylan. Let’s bring back Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act and list Nigel Farage as a proscribed person. I’m not sure whether Sinn Féin do irony or comedy better but their own history seems completely lost on them.”

Another tweeted: “Cue irony Klaxon”.

In 1988, the then UK Home Secretary Douglas Hurd announced that spokespersons for 11 republican and loyalist organisations would be banned from broadcasting directly on the airwaves, but Sinn Fein was the government’s main target.

In response to the ban, media outlets used an actor’s voice to read the words of the spokesperson in front of the camera or microphone. The ban was reversed in 1994.

In a response to some of the criticism, Mr Boylan said: “No, that’s not what I said, I questioned unchallenged platform he is given on Irish media.”

Ms Boylan also tweeted: “When interviewed he should be challenged on where the money for his Brexit campaign came from and his whipping up of hate against immigrants. My point is about clickbait media versus journalism.”