Sinn Féin hits out at NI fundraising limits
Sinn Féin has branded tighter fundraising regulations proposed for Northern Ireland as both “ludicrous and an attack on the democratic process”.
Party chairman Mitchell McLaughlin said while the proposed changes would have “little or no effect on Sinn Féin’s international lobbying and publicity operations”, it was nonetheless “further evidence of just how far the British government is prepared to go in attempts to restrict Sinn Féin’s growing influence”.
The vast bulk of the funds raised abroad were spent in the countries of origin and “studiously scrutinised” by the respective governments, he said.
Mr McLaughlin attacked the British government plans as “the latest in a series of measures to deny Sinn Féin sources of funding that is available to all other parties”.
Not only was the party denied access to over £100,000 (€148,500) in Policy Development Grants because its MP refused to swear the oath to the Queen, but the money was being divided between the SDLP, Ulster Unionists and Democratic Unionists, he said.
Last week Northern Secretary Paul Murphy also ordered the withholding of £120,000 (€178,000) of Assembly funding to Sinn Féin because of continued IRA activity.
The new regulations were not just designed to stop the electoral advance of Sinn Féin, Mr McLaughlin said, but were “ a direct attack on the democratic process”.
He added: “Having changed the electoral regulations 11 times since Sinn Féin’s entry into electoral politics but still failing to get the result they wanted at the ballot box, the British government is now attempting to influence the political process through withholding funding entitlements and attempting to restrict Sinn Féin’s ability to fundraise.”
