Local politicians at Downing Street

South Down MP Chris Hazzard and Newry and Armagh MLA Conor Murphy were part of a Sinn Fein delegation to London to meet British Prime Minister Theresa May.

The delegation included Gerry Adams TD, Mary Lou McDonald TD, Michelle O’Neill MLA, Chris Hazzard MP, Elisha McCallion MP and Conor Murphy MLA.

Commenting on the trip Mr Hazzard said “For years now successive British governments have disengaged from the peace process. They have walked away from their responsibilities as a co-guarantor of the peace agreements and they continue to fail to protect the rights of minorities. The Tory/DUP pact has compounded these difficulites and fundamentally compromises the role of the British government as in respect to the Good Friday Agreement.

“More recently, the refusal of Downing Street to respect the democratic rights of the majority of people in the north who voted to remain in Europe is both undemocratic and unacceptable. Theresa May's blind commitment to Brexit is reckless and would be disastrous for all of us here in Ireland.

“Today Sinn Fein made it abundantly clear that any sort of Brexit is bad for the north of Ireland.

"For local people to have any hope of a bright and successful future we need special status within the European Union."

MR Murphy added “We told the British Prime Minister Theresa May this morning that her government must bear the greater responsibility for the failure to reach agreement on the restoration of the institutions.

“The provision of an Irish Language Act, Marriage Equality, a Bill of Rights and funding for legacy inquests are all British government obligations.

“Progress is only possible if her government honours those commitments.