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MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT in the United Kingdom are being sworn in at the House of Commons today, a practice which requires them to swear an allegiance to King Charles III.
While Sinn Féin MPs have practiced abstentionism since the party’s establishment, as a cause of this arrangement, the largely Republican SDLP party in Northern Ireland have sworn their allegiance “under protest” in London today.
As well as stating that he was swearing his allegiance under protest, party leader Colum Eastwood added his “true allegiance” is to the people of Derry and the people of Ireland.
The Foyle MP, from Co Derry, has been a member of the House of Commons since the last election in 2019 and the leader of his party since 2015.
Eastwood had a majority of over 17,000 votes in 2019 but his lead was slashed last week to just over 4,000.
Before beginning his affirmation, a non-religious alternative to an ‘Oath’ for MPs which still requires them to swear an allegiance to the King, he insisted that he was only doing so to serve his constituents.
Fellow SLDP MP Claire Hanna made similar remarks before beginning her affirmation, as Gaelige and in English.
“I gcarideas agus le dóchas le hÉire nua rétithe, dearbhaim mo dhílseacht go mhuintir Béal Féirste Theas agus an Dún Lár. In friendship and in hope of a reconciled new Ireland, my allegiance is to the people of Belfast South and Mid Down and I say these words in order to serve them.”
SDLPs Claire Hanna MP begins her affirmation in Irish and states she takes it "in hope of a reconciled new Ireland" pic.twitter.com/GA30p0pPXA
— James McCarthy (@JamesMcCarthy97) July 9, 2024
Both politicians retained their seats while Sinn Féin became, officially, the largest party in Northern Ireland after it completed the hattrick in becoming at Westminster, Stormont, and local government last week.
Today, Keir Starmer made his first speech in the House of Commons as the new Prime Minister of the UK today as his fellow Government Labour MPs were unable to take their actual seats in the Parliament because there were not enough chairs in chamber for the massive majority it won last week.
Starmer paid tribute to colleagues past and present during his speech and reiterated the commitment he made during the campaign to “replace the politics of performance with the politics of service”
Starmer, Taoiseach Simon Harris, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly have all said they hope the new Labour government can work to strengthen the relationship between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic over the next number of years.
There had been several tense moments between leaders in Ireland and the UK in recent years over post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, controversial Troubles legacy legislation, and most recently over migration flows.
It is hoped, by all leaders, that attitudes will change with a new party in power.
In Westminster today, Labour MP Diane Abbott celebrated the growing number of women MPs as she took up her new role as Mother of the House, following the turmoil which gripped the Labour party over her reselection.
Speaking for the first time as Mother of the House, she congratulated new Members of Parliament, telling them: “It is a great job and you will never regret coming here.
“I would also like to congratulate the officers of the House who have organised such a meticulous and careful induction. I remember when I was a new MP, they just gave you a bunch of keys and told you to get on with it.”
Includes reporting from Press Association
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‘Do no harm’ is a great philosophy of life. Sadly, it seems that the leaderships of some of the world’s most powerful countries have adopted ‘Do harm’ as their motto instead.
Potentially very serious act.
@John Sleator: There’s been a few recently.
Oct 2023 NewNew Polar Bear – 2 data cables and a gas pipeline
Nov 2024 Yi Peng 3 – 2 data communication cables
Dec 2025 Xin Xin Tiang – Estlink electric line.
@honey badger: you should move to Mercia
@Happy As Larry: Is the weather good in Spain? I might.
@Happy As Larry: why would anyone move to the south of England? What’s your point?
ClA at it again!
@Alan Kennedy: so the CIA control the Chinese now?
@Tomas Barrett: When Finnish authorities asked the crew of the Eagle S to raise their anchor, which they dragged along the sea bed, only the chain was raised, the anchor was detached i.e. they broke their anchor on one of the 5 cables they severed, 4 Internet lines, as well as the undersea DC Power Cable connecting Finland and Estonia.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/15/ukrainian-team-blew-up-nord-stream-pipeline-claims-report
Oh, sorry for bringing reality into Putin bashing, I guess I’m a Putin supporter now for highlighting the truth.
@Brian D’Arcy: You highlighted one possible explanation as put forward by the biased Guardian.
That doesn’t make it everyone’s truth, even if it is yours.
@Brian D’Arcy: good. Blow up more Russian and German collaborations. Some history there with that shower. Still at it.
@Brian D’Arcy: Quoting the left-wing Guardian, are you having a laugh? They have no credibility whatsoever when it comes to reporting factual information. In any case, Ukraine had every right to blow up the Nord Stream Pipeline if they wanted to. Russia has repeatedly targeted key Ukrainian energy infrastructure in a deliberate manner in the hope of freezing the people into surrender. It’s pretty clear that such an action was fair game.
@Brian D’Arcy: Cui bono?
Who had most to gain?
That is clearly Russia.
Ukraine had little to gain, and much to lose.
The Guardian – although probably one of the very best media outlets – is not infallible
@Thomas Sheridan: The Guardian is a dreadful “newspaper” , the worst of the Wokies!
@Brian D’Arcy: very strange we never hear about the children killed by Putin’s Russia. No doubt, it’s because Israel wasn’t involved. After all,
A hundred thousand plus children killed in Syria and Yemen and not a sound from the fearless leaders in the Dail or the MSM. Must be something to do with antisemitism.
Nordsee was done by the Ukranians; potentially involved here again with the US backers
@Lewis Armstrong: Nordstream
@Lewis Armstrong: Travellers robbing the copper. We all know it. Piebald drone attack with slashhooks.
@Veronica Waastrumpet: Hi Jim
@Lewis Armstrong: Stop blowing your Trumpet Lewis or is it Lewy?
Forgot to pay there electricity bill
@John Kenny: “their”
It’s just typical that the comments section is closed on the near death attack where the WHO leaders were about to board their plane. When will the world leaders come out and condemn these attacks by the IAF ? Probably never because they are all afraid to say anything against Israel… It’s pure shocking.
@Blue Moon: Afraid to say anything about Israel.
Maybe you haven’t heard yet that Ireland is one of the most antisemitic countries in this earth, a richly deserved title,.
Don’t Panic! BAM are on it already! Be back in time for the Eurovision after they fix Holyhead.
Time to close the Baltic Sea to certain flagged ships, or at least escort these ships that appear to be dragging anchor and impacting vital infrastructure.
@honey badger: ‘appear to be dragging anchor’.
Have you ever even been on a ship? lol.
You’re out of your depth if you’ll excuse the pun. lol.
@Fergus O’Donnell: I dont think i am. The Yi Peng 3, a 225-meter Chinese cargo ship, allegedly dragged its anchor for over 100 miles in the Baltic Sea, severing two vital fiber-optic cables. These cables handle trillions in financial transactions and internet traffic.
@honey badger: Putin is on the way out anyway. the oligarchs are getting tired of his war mongering with little to no success.
@honey badger: The Chinese ship Xin Xin Tiang just happened to be over Estlink2 power cable when it went ‘offline’. It is a sister vessel of NewNew Polar which destroyed the undersea gas pipeline Balticconnector in 2023.
@Thesaltyurchin: Fingers crossed.
@Fergus O’Donnell: honey badger is right, and I spent several years at sea as able seaman on a variety of vessels. Personally I’d just impound these ships and sell them to pay for the damages. You would be surprised how quickly these acts of sabotage would come to a stop.
@gregory pym: any ships the irish government impounds, ends up costing the irish taxpayers millions in mooring fees
@Thesaltyurchin: I’m fairly sure you and loads of posters have said that in the last years,i would love to see him gone, but why post something that you have zero proof of,you and honey are just as bad the Trump crowd/right wing,genuinely think ye are all the same group.
@honey badger: was it “Britain’s Bill Gates” again?
@Fergus O’Donnell: “appear to be dragging anchor’.
Have you ever even been on a ship? lol.
You’re out of your depth if you’ll excuse the pun. lol.”
After the Eagle S was bordered by the Finnish coast guard, the crew were ordered to raise the anchor they were dragging.
Only the chain was raised, the anchor was detached, the anchor is stuck to one of the 4 cables they severed.
Also, Marine Traffic shows them crossing the electricity cable at 10:36 GMT, exactly the same time as the cable was severed.
It’s obviously they’re responsible, they just have to find the anchor, likely stuck to the electricity cable, the strongest cable.
So that’s why me power went yesterday just as the turkey was going in the oven
It’s looking increasingly likely that Eastern Europe is going to be dragged into a war that they don’t want to enter.
Hey RUSSIA, Grow up and act like a civilised nation. The world deserves peace instead of bloodshed.
Sneaky Russians
Dirty putin
@Paddy Ryan: I bet Putin is now rethinking everything now he knows what you think of him.
@Ger Whelan: Yes comrade. To the Gulag with me.
Chinese / Russian ships. I think their movement through certain stretches of water will have to be closed off. They are always up to no good.
This the latest cable breach incident in those seas. Clearly a pointer to disruption of NATO aligned states by shipping with non aligned flags.
Ukraine is just the initial pawn moves, so be warned.
The Russians are coming the Russian are coming.
wonder who is responsible
FSB? Or was it the ESB again?
have your say