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Anger as Sinn Fein Plan To Open Commons Office
There is increasing anger at Westminster over reports that Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, is planning to open an office in the House of Commons.
The party's leader, Gerry Adams, and it's chief negotiator, Martin McGuinness, were elected to parliament at the general election but will not take their seats at Westminster as they would be required to swear the Oath of Allegiance to the Queen.
However, both men are prepared to use the House facilities - including the bars, restaurants and the gymnasium. They also intend to use an office to be run by Siobhan O'Hanlan, an alleged IRA supporter.
David Trimble, the leader of the Ulster Unionists, is insisting that Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness take the Oath before they are allowed to open the office. He has promised to protest to the House authorities if the plan goes ahead. Tory backbencher Andrew Hunter said that the possibility of Sinn Fein having a parliamentary office "makes a mockery of the mother of parliaments."
Labour left-winger Tony Benn argued that the office should be set up and that the issue was a matter of law. Mr Benn said that as elected representatives of their constituencies, the two men were entitled to have an office in the House of Commons: "None of us are in parliament because other MPs like us - we are there because we have been elected."
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