Lidington calls on Sinn Fein to match words and deeds

David Lidington, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, has welcomed today's Sinn Fein vote to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland.  Mr Lidington added that it was vital that the republican movement quickly matched its words with deeds.  Speaking exclusively to ConservativeHome he said that too much time had already been lost and he would be looking for early signs of Sinn Fein members co-operating with the police in order to bring criminals to justice.  The resolution passed today suggests that Sinn Fein's co-operation with the police need not begin until the start of a power-sharing agreement.

By way of footnote I spent fifteen minutes on the telephone with David Lidington and learnt a great deal about Northern Ireland politics.  In the three years that David has held the NI portfolio he has gained a real understanding of the situation there.  David Cameron has so far avoided unnecessary tinkering with his frontbench team and the more time that shadow ministers are given to master their briefs in this way the better.

Comments

[malcolm]

I'm glad that Cameron is giving ample time for people to master their briefs. I hope David Lidington succeeds in his post. He has a reputation as being a very nice guy which is not a quality that has tended to be of much value in Northern Irish politics. I wholly agree with what he says in his most recent statement and I hope he continues to take a hardline with Sinn Fein and other assorted terrorist political groups. I don't trust any of them further than I could spit.They have to earn that trust.

[Josh]

Sinn Fein wants all of Ireland to be a united republic. Fine. So does the SDLP. The SNP wants Scotland to be an independent country free from Westminster rule. Plaid Cymru want the same for Wales. UKIP want the UK out of the European Union. In this way all five of the parties mentioned have something in common: they are not happy with the constitutional state of sovereignty at present.

But where Sinn Fein differs from the other four is that they are the only ones immature enough to stick their fingers in their ears when faced with the reality of the situation and cry, "La la la. I can't hear you!"

The SNP recognise Westminster has authority over Scotland. They seek to change it, but they recognise the present situation. Similar from PC, SDLP and UKIP.

Sinn Fein on the other hand had previously refused to acknowledge the police force of Northern Ireland and still refuse to take their seats in Westminster because they don't recognise British authority in those six counties of Ireland that make up Northern Ireland.

Childish! Just because they don't like British authority doesn't change the fact that it exists.

Maybe this is the first sign that Sinn Fein are finally growing up.