SDLP anger at bid to ban cross-border fundraising
A British House of Lords move to bar parties in the North from raising funds south of the border flies in the face of the Good Friday Agreement, it was claimed today.
SDLP deputy leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell was incensed after peers last night backed a Conservative Party amendment to the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill by a majority of 37 to prevent donors in the Republic giving money to parties in the North.
The Bill covers a range of issues such as electoral registration, devolved policing and justice and an extension of the amnesty period for arms decommissioning.
Dr McDonnell, whose party’s funds are likely to be hit hardest by the move, said the amendment was mischievous and must not be allowed to stand.
The South Belfast MP said: “It flies in the face of the fundamentals of the Good Friday Agreement on equality and it is a direct attack on the Agreement as an international agreement.
“If this was allowed to stand it would mean that unionist parties would be free to raise money in Britain but nationalists in Newry could not accept donations from Dundalk.
“The SDLP in Derry could not hold a fundraiser in Letterkenny. No Irish nationalist could accept such partitionist nonsense, and the SDLP will certainly not accept (it).
“We will be urging the British government to throw it out immediately and the Irish Government to insist that the international aspects of the Good Friday Agreement be respected by all.”
A majority of 35 also backed calls for more parliamentary scrutiny of Northern Ireland Orders from minister if the Assembly is not restored by November 24.
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