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UK LABOUR LEADER Jeremy Corbyn has said that the IRA’s bombing campaign was ‘completely wrong’ – distancing himself from accusations that he supported their actions.
Pressure has been mounting on the main opposition leader in the UK to clarify his position after he refused to condemn the IRA during a television interview.
Speaking with the BBC today, Corbyn said that the IRA’s “bombing campaign was completely wrong because it was taking civilian lives”.
During a television interview last night, Corbyn was asked similar questions about his support for the IRA – including standing for a minutes’ silence for IRA members killed by the British Army.
BBC News (UK) / TwitterAndrew Neil presses Jeremy Corbyn on his position on the IRAhttps://t.co/eyDZvcXlka #BBCElection #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/tnjiMw0Nsq
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) May 26, 2017
“I always wanted and always want peace,” he said, saying that a convergence of different views was important to a peace process.
When I stood for that minute’s silence, that was in 1987 and it was for all who died in Northern Ireland.
When the host said that it was for the death of an IRA member, Corbyn said he was clear that he was there for all who died during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
He replied: “I didn’t support the IRA. I don’t support the IRA. What I want everywhere is a peace process. What I want everywhere is decency and human rights.”
I always said that the bombing process would never work, that there wasn’t a military solution to be found in Northern Ireland, I made that very clear.
He said in the interview that he never met the IRA, but did meet people from Sinn Féin.
Despite Corbyn’s denial, his shadow home secretary Diane Abbott today said that Corbyn did meet convicted IRA members, but in a private capacity.
A Daily Telegraph report last week said that MI5 had claimed that the Corbyn had met with the IRA on nine occasions.
It was put to the Labour leader that he did support the armed struggle, but has put those beliefs aside in his bid for the UK premiership, which Corbyn staunchly denied.
“No. What I want is peace,” he answered.
“What I want is to learn the lessons from Northern Ireland and also to make sure during the Brexit negotiations we don’t return to or receive any kind of hard border between the North and the Republic.”
It’s also been claimed that the IRA issue is being used by Corbyn’s opponents to dent his party’s progress in the polls, which seemed to show a surge yesterday.
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Sure gsoc find the gards guilty until inncoent. They dont trust them anyway
@O Hiongardail Collie: Garda don’t seem to trust Garda. Hense the growing number of whistle blowers.
@Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: so many of them know of the criminals within but
say what you want about the guards, but of all the main stories of a member being prosecuted, the majority have been prosecuted by a fellow Garda and not GSOC. The DPP also have to make a decision. so it’s difficult to hide. GSOC seem to constantly be complaining. They should look at their own behaviour. What about the poor sergeant in Donegal who committed suicide after they failed to tell him he was clear of his complaint!
No change in the GDA force, still the same corrupt,deceitful, culture going on.
@Patrick James Walsh: typically from Irish politicians, they set up a garda ombudman purely for show, but gave no real powers to the office. It’s all for show to make it look as if we are doing something about police curruption
If there are criminal investigations then a file is submitted to the DPP’s office for recommendations,so how is there any room for interference, usually the DPP’s office recommend prosecution and allow the courts to adjudicate when a member of the gardai is involved.
This is a cryptic message from GSOC to the public about an Garda Corruptchána. Thank you for putting us on alert, although I suspect many will not be surprised. It seems that our national police force needs to be dredged to remove the filth that has been festering all these years. Has anyone an update on the missing phones from the Maurice McCabe case?
Guards covering up for their own surely this has never & will never happen in cronyism ireland
I currently have a complaint lodged against the Garda with gsoc the investigating superintendent has so far not investigated nothing only believing the Garda with whom the complaint is lodged just because he a superintendent doesn’t mean he not corrupt
@James Wallace: GSOC have more statutory powers than Gardai actually.
@Jumanji: but yet the Gardai can and do refuse to cooperate with them?
@James Wallace: because GSOC was never intended to have any teeth, it was always supposed to be window dressing. It was introduced by Michael McDowell in 2004 as Justice minister in the teeth of opposition from Garda management and the representative bodies, and now we know why. Every Police force in the world except those in `Police states`, have some form of complaints/ombudsman procedure.
But An Garda Siochana do not see themselves as being accountable to anyone. Bizarrely the legislation allows GSOC to hand the complaints made against members back to the force to investigate themselves! it could only happen in Ireland.
Do these people not know of the maxim thou shall not be a judge of self thus they are breaking Common law
What’s new with the gardai the constitution is also a joke with them
Well in fairness, of course they can be accused of a cover up. If you want it reported to the ombudsman, then make it more than a recommendation.
That ending to Line of Duty was rubbish, so disappointing
@Patrick James Walsh: they hand it back when they deem it appropriate to be handled internally. A minor infraction not involving the public. GSOC have plenty of teeth more invasive than Garda powers. The problem is that you just expected more corruption than there is, so you lash out and call GSOC corrupt or toothless
have your say