Progressive London conference hears Sinn Féin’s Mitchel McLaughlin

Mitchel McLaughlin

DESCRIBED by some media as “a Who’s Who of Left-leaning Londoners” opposing the Conservative/Lib-Dem Govern-ment’s Budget cuts, the 2011 Progressive London conference on Saturday 19th February was launched by “‘once and future Mayor” Ken Livingstone and heard Sinn Féin Assembly Economy spokesperson Mitchel McLaughlin.
They were joined by over a quarter of London’s Assembly members, six MPs and an MEP. Other notable names included critic Bonnie Greer, comedian Josie Long and artist Mark Wallinger, as well as Guardian journalist Dave Hill.
Mitchel said:
“This conference takes place at a critical moment for Ireland where we face chaos in the South with the surrender of economic sovereignty to the EU and IMF to pay off banking debts to international bondholders. The Irish taxpayers are now being forced to pay for the lack of regulation, mismanagement and corrupt practices of bankers, developers and speculators.
“People are experiencing savage cuts to frontline services, unemployment and significant reductions in working families’ income while the politicians, speculators, developers and bankers who precipitated the economic collapse walk away with golden handshakes, massive pensions and protection for their wealth and gambling debts.”
Speaking ahead of the outcome of the general election, Mitchel said of the new government:
“Whether a single party Fine Gael or a Coalition Government with Labour, unless they change the trajectory and policies of the Fianna Fáil Finance Bill and austerity budget they will be only bit players in an EU/IMF/ECB coalition.”
“A new start is needed if we are to change our politics, our economy and our whole society for the better. We can’t do that without examining the fundamental issue of how we are governed on the island of Ireland. And when there is an opportunity to normalise politics on a Left/Right basis I believe it will be a disaster if Irish Labour miss this opportunity and choose to prop up the right-wing policies of Fine Gael.”
Mitchel then turned to the situation in the Six Counties:
“In the North, we are paying the price of equally savage cuts to our budget and austerity measures imposed by a British Tory Government which nobody in the North of Ireland voted for.
“There is now a clear need to recognise the economic realities that exist and plan the economy on an all-Ireland basis that will benefit the people of Ireland and not be subservient to the greed of speculators and international banking gamblers.”
He said this is essential if Ireland is to maximise economic growth through research and development to promote and enhance indigenous companies. Mitchel flagged that Sinn Féin’s proposals for economic recovery have been published and they are based on growth through investment, job creation, and all-Ireland co-operation.
“The greater the co-operation on an all-Ireland basis the greater will be the delivery of substantial savings and stability.
“This is a very clear message that we will be putting to the people of Ireland in the forthcoming months and one that is being widely accepted by other political parties as a positive and constructive way forward.”