Martin McGuinness resigns from Westminster seat

Posted by admin on January 8, 2013

 Sinn Fein’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has been awarded an

English aristocratic title in order to secure his resignation as an MP,

it has been confirmed.

 His long-signalled resignation is part of a policy by Sinn Fein to end

‘double jobbing’. It followed the same arcane procedure required by the

London Parliament, which previously imposed an equally controversial

‘royal title’ on Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

 Like all other Sinn Fein MPs, Mr McGuinness has never taken his seat in

Westminster. Despite this, he was accorded the royal appointment of the

‘Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead’, as part of the

eclectic resignation process required by Britain’s parliamentary

by-laws.

 “Martin McGuinness resigned the same way as Gerry Adams in 2011,” a

spokesman for Sinn Fein confirmed.

 “As Irish republicans we gave no time for antiquated and ridiculous

titles of the British parliamentary system then and this remains the

situation.

 “What we need to see now is the writ being moved for a by-election to

allow the people of Mid-Ulster to have their say.”

 Mr McGuinness was elected as MP for Mid-Ulster in 1997. He said his

decision to stand down was in line with Sinn Fein’s commitment to end

double-jobbing and he planned to concentrate on his role as a Stormont

assembly member and deputy first minister.

 Francie Molloy, will seek to hold Sinn Fein’s Mid-Ulster seat in the

forthcoming by-election.

 He was selected as his party’s candidate to contest the seat last month

at a convention in Gulladuff, County Derry, in December.

 A former director of elections for Bobby Sands, he was also involved in

the civil rights movement.

 In 2005, he was briefly suspended from Sinn Fein for saying he wanted

the number of councils to be cut to 15, rather than seven – the party’s

preferred number.

 Mr Molloy, who will be defending a sizable Sinn Fein majority in the

strongly natonalist onstituency, said he was delighted to be selected.

 “The party has been represented by Martin McGuinness since 1997 and

although he will be a hard act to follow if elected I will endeavour to

serve the people of Mid Ulster with the same determination and fortitude

in improving the lives of all the citizens of the area,” he said.

 Speaking after Mr Molloy’s selection, Mr McGuinness said: “Francie will

make an exceptional MP and representative for the people of Mid Ulster.”