Colum Eastwood asks Unionists and British government to acknowledge not ‘just Sinn Féin cares about Irish language’

Colum Eastwood has asked unionists and the British government to acknowledge ‘it is not just Sinn Féin that cares about the Irish language’.
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The SDLP leader was speaking during a debate on the Identity and Language (NI) Bill at Westminster during which Sinn Féin, which does not take its seats in Britain, was mentioned 31 times.

At one point during the debate the Northern Ireland Office Minister Steve Baker said he was increduloussome unionists were accusing the British government of being a ‘wing of Sinn Féin’.

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During the deliberations DUP MP Sammy Wilson, opposing the bill which still needs to be approved by the British House of Lords, said: “The Sinn Féin hand in the NIO is all over this.

Steve BakerSteve Baker
Steve Baker

"The NIO’s default position is always to give Sinn Féin what Sinn Féin cannot get in negotiations. It is unfortunate that when Ministers are appointed to the NIO, they seem to accept that default position, so that the NIO seems to be an extension of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Ireland and a voice for Sinn Féin.”

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Mr. Baker, responding to Mr. Wilson and his DUP colleagues, said: “I want to reassure them and say on a slightly lighter note that while they accuse us of being a wing of Sinn Féin, Sinn Féin is perfectly content to tell me that we pander too much to the DUP.”

Mr. Eastwood asked both unionists and the British government to acknowledge it is not only ‘Sinn Féin that cares about the Irish language’.

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The Foyle MP asked DUP MP Jim Shannon if he accepted ‘that it is not just Sinn Féin that cares about the Irish language or the protection of minority languages and cultures?’

Mr. Shannon replied: “I accept that.”

Mr. Eastwood raised the same point with Mr. Baker.

"We have heard talk about Sinn Féin this and Sinn Féin that, so will the Minister maybe take the opportunity to put it on the record that people who love the Irish language do not necessarily vote for Sinn Féin?

"It is a language that has been embraced by people from right across our community; it is not a political tool and it should not be treated as one. That has been part of the problem up to now,” he said.

Mr. Baker responded: “I am very grateful to the hon. Gentleman for putting that on the record. I am also conscious that I need to respect the fact that Sinn Féin are not here to speak for themselves, but I do engage with them regularly and I hope that they have found that I do so respectfully.

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"I just wanted to make the point to the hon. Gentlemen opposite who have made some strident allegations towards me and towards the NIO, and I hope that they will not mind if I respond gently that these things are potentially also offensive to me and to others.”

The Bill passed the British House of Commons last week and now awaits approval from the British House of Lords.