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9 April 2014

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Leaders urged to reject Lord Tebbit's call for 'Real IRA' to kill Martin McGuinness

POLITICAL LEADERS have been urged to reject yesterday's remarks by former Conservative Party Chair Lord Tebbit that urged the so-called 'Real IRA' to murder Martin McGuinness.

Speaking ahead of the joint First Minister's attendance at the state reception in Windsor Castle by Queen Elizabeth for President Michael D. Higgins, Lord Tebbit said:

"There's always the possibility that a member of the Real IRA will be so outraged by Mr McGuinness bowing to the Queen that they might shoot him in the back for it.

"We can but hope."

Lord Tebbit and his wife were injured in the IRA attack on the British Conservative Party conference at the Grand Hotel in Brighton in 1984.

Martin McGuinness said the reaction of the peer to his historic visit to the British monarch's official residence and private home at Windsor was "not fitting" for someone who holds high political office.

"Norman Tebbit too and his family have been very badly hurt by the conflict," he said.

"I absolutely understand that. Obviously the sentiments that he has expressed, I think, are not fitting for someone in the elected position he has been in for a very long time."

But Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said today that although he too fully understands that Norman Tebbit has himself been a victim of the political conflict — "and I regret that he has suffered grievously" — to publicly advocate the assassination of joint First Minister Martin McGuinness "is a shocking throwback to a violent past from which we are seeking to move on. The state visit is another important milestone in doing that.

“The remarks by Mr Tebbit are another clear example of why the issue of the past needs to be dealt with as a political priority.

“Martin McGuinness is a leader of political and personal courage who has worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the Peace Process and the cause of reconciliation between unionist and nationalist and between Britain and Ireland, at considerable risk to himself.

“Martin, his home and indeed his family have been targets for abuse and attack by so-called ‘dissident republicans’. To now have this type of activity encouraged by a member of the British House of Lords is unacceptable, and should be rejected by all right thinking people.

“Political leaders on both sides of the Irish Sea should reject the sentiments expressed by Mr Tebbit.”

▪️The BBC reported later:

"When contacted by the BBC on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Tebbit said he stood by his comments and added: 'That's the way it is.'"

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