IMC unlawful?

Sinn Féin is challenging the legality of the Independent Monitoring Commission, the watchdog set up by the UK government to report to the London and Dublin on the activities of paramilitaries in the North. The writ was handed in, ironically, by Conor Murphy, the elected MP for Newry and Armagh who refuses to take his seat in the Commons and who, according to an earlier comment posted on this blog, has himself sat in prison on terrorism-related matters.

 

But what's all the fuss about? The IMC's most recent report was gushing about how IRA activity is zero and how the spotlight is now on 'loyalist' groupings to follow the (I paraphrase) noble lead shown by Republican terror group.

 

Basically, you see, Sinn Féin despises any or all authority of the British government in the 6 counties, so this move is really no surprise. But it's ironic that they see fit to challenge it in the British courts rather than Dublin or Strasbourg.

 

I  regard the whole thing is an irritant, but respect Sinn Féin's right to challenge the British and Irish governments in court. That's democracy. Not every government is respectable, therefore any democratic system has to have this option as part of its checks and balances.

 

Good to see the party submitting to the court. The Big thing for Sinn Féin is to respect the court's judgement, however the dice falls.