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| Barry McElduff has resigned as MP for West Tyrone | Barry McElduff has resigned as MP for West Tyrone |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The MP for West Tyrone, Barry McElduff, has resigned as a result of a controversy over a Twitter video. | The MP for West Tyrone, Barry McElduff, has resigned as a result of a controversy over a Twitter video. |
| The Sinn Féin MP posted a video of himself in a shop with a loaf of Kingsmill bread on his head. | The Sinn Féin MP posted a video of himself in a shop with a loaf of Kingsmill bread on his head. |
| It was published on the 42nd anniversary of the Kingsmills murders, in which 10 Protestant workmen were shot dead by the IRA. | It was published on the 42nd anniversary of the Kingsmills murders, in which 10 Protestant workmen were shot dead by the IRA. |
| The sole survivor of the attack said he would not accept his apology adding: "I'll never forgive him". | |
| Mr McElduff has said that he did not make a connection in his mind between the video and the massacre, but he accepted many people do not believe that. | Mr McElduff has said that he did not make a connection in his mind between the video and the massacre, but he accepted many people do not believe that. |
| Sinn Féin suspended Mr McElduff from party activities for a period of three months last Monday. | Sinn Féin suspended Mr McElduff from party activities for a period of three months last Monday. |
| Alan Black, who was the only person to survive the 1976 attack, welcomed the resignation. | Alan Black, who was the only person to survive the 1976 attack, welcomed the resignation. |
| "I'm not on a crusade. I've done what I've done up to now to protect the memory of the boys and to try to protect their families," he told the BBC. | "I'm not on a crusade. I've done what I've done up to now to protect the memory of the boys and to try to protect their families," he told the BBC. |
| "But he did the right thing stepping down - eventually. I won't be speaking publicly about Kingsmills again unless there is some development at the inquest. | "But he did the right thing stepping down - eventually. I won't be speaking publicly about Kingsmills again unless there is some development at the inquest. |
| "As far as I'm concern the Barry McElduff incident is over now. But I don't accept his apology. I'll never forgive him." | |
| Mr McElduff said the "deep and unnecessary hurt this video caused the families of the victims of Kingsmills is my greatest regret" and reiterated his apology to them. | Mr McElduff said the "deep and unnecessary hurt this video caused the families of the victims of Kingsmills is my greatest regret" and reiterated his apology to them. |
| "Kingsmills was wrong, unjustifiable and sectarian. It should never have happened," he said. | "Kingsmills was wrong, unjustifiable and sectarian. It should never have happened," he said. |
| He said that the view that the video was intended to refer to the massacre would "impede any reconciliation process". | He said that the view that the video was intended to refer to the massacre would "impede any reconciliation process". |
| Analysis: Mark Devenport, BBC News NI political editor | Analysis: Mark Devenport, BBC News NI political editor |
| Barry McElduff has consistently protested that he never intended to cause offence with his Kingsmills loaf video, and that its publication on the 42nd anniversary of the Kingsmills atrocity was just a terrible coincidence. | Barry McElduff has consistently protested that he never intended to cause offence with his Kingsmills loaf video, and that its publication on the 42nd anniversary of the Kingsmills atrocity was just a terrible coincidence. |
| With that in mind, his family and friends rallied to his defence and he must have initially hoped that his three month suspension would buy enough time for emotions to cool. | With that in mind, his family and friends rallied to his defence and he must have initially hoped that his three month suspension would buy enough time for emotions to cool. |
| However the criticism never abated, with Sinn Féin's opponents accusing the party of not matching their initial tough words with appropriate action. | However the criticism never abated, with Sinn Féin's opponents accusing the party of not matching their initial tough words with appropriate action. |
| The adverse publicity triggered by the video peaked as the sole survivor of the massacre, Alan Black, described what had happened in chilling detail during an RTÉ interview over the weekend. | The adverse publicity triggered by the video peaked as the sole survivor of the massacre, Alan Black, described what had happened in chilling detail during an RTÉ interview over the weekend. |
| Now Mr McElduff has resigned, citing the damage the fall out from his video has done to the reconciliation process. Unionists describe the resignation as long overdue. | Now Mr McElduff has resigned, citing the damage the fall out from his video has done to the reconciliation process. Unionists describe the resignation as long overdue. |
| Sinn Féin will hope that by the time a Westminster by-election is held, the Kingsmills controversy will have been put into a different perspective. | Sinn Féin will hope that by the time a Westminster by-election is held, the Kingsmills controversy will have been put into a different perspective. |
| Sinn Féin took nearly 51% of the vote in the 2017 election, increasing their vote by more than 7%. Since Mr McElduff's resignation, the Ulster Unionists have suggested that what they call a "non partisan candidate" should be found who would take their seat in the House of Commons and provide "a voice for victims". | Sinn Féin took nearly 51% of the vote in the 2017 election, increasing their vote by more than 7%. Since Mr McElduff's resignation, the Ulster Unionists have suggested that what they call a "non partisan candidate" should be found who would take their seat in the House of Commons and provide "a voice for victims". |
| This approach - if adopted - would mirror the Mid-Ulster by-election of 2013 when a joint unionist candidate, Nigel Lutton, shaved 10,000 off Sinn Féin's majority. | This approach - if adopted - would mirror the Mid-Ulster by-election of 2013 when a joint unionist candidate, Nigel Lutton, shaved 10,000 off Sinn Féin's majority. |
| However, as in Mid Ulster, Sinn Féin enjoy a commanding lead in West Tyrone and it is even if there is a response to the adverse publicity of the last few days it is hard to imagine any other candidate posing a realistic challenge. | However, as in Mid Ulster, Sinn Féin enjoy a commanding lead in West Tyrone and it is even if there is a response to the adverse publicity of the last few days it is hard to imagine any other candidate posing a realistic challenge. |
| "I am an Irish republican and believe wholeheartedly in the reunification of our country and an agreed Ireland in which we heal the wounds of the past together. | "I am an Irish republican and believe wholeheartedly in the reunification of our country and an agreed Ireland in which we heal the wounds of the past together. |
| "Reconciliation is essential, but that message is not being heard at this time," Mr McElduff added. | "Reconciliation is essential, but that message is not being heard at this time," Mr McElduff added. |
| The former UUP MLA Danny Kennedy, who is a cousin of Mr Black, said Mr McElduff had "bowed to the inevitable". | The former UUP MLA Danny Kennedy, who is a cousin of Mr Black, said Mr McElduff had "bowed to the inevitable". |
| He told BBC Talkback it was necessary for Mr McElduff to step down, and said today was "not a day of celebration". | He told BBC Talkback it was necessary for Mr McElduff to step down, and said today was "not a day of celebration". |
| "There is nothing here to celebrate except that at long last a public representative has owned up and taken responsibility for his own actions," he said. | "There is nothing here to celebrate except that at long last a public representative has owned up and taken responsibility for his own actions," he said. |
| The DUP Leader Arlene Foster said it was right that Mr McElduff resigned saying he was not fit for public office and should have resigned in the immediate aftermath of posting the video. | The DUP Leader Arlene Foster said it was right that Mr McElduff resigned saying he was not fit for public office and should have resigned in the immediate aftermath of posting the video. |
| She accused Sinn Féin of failing to deal with the situation. | She accused Sinn Féin of failing to deal with the situation. |
| "By merely suspending him and continuing to pay him, they compounded his disgraceful actions and demonstrated a lack of respect and compassion for the victims of Kingmills and indeed victims more widely. | "By merely suspending him and continuing to pay him, they compounded his disgraceful actions and demonstrated a lack of respect and compassion for the victims of Kingmills and indeed victims more widely. |
| "Now is the time for Sinn Féin to learn the lessons from these dark events and to deal with the fact that it, and many of its individual members, continue to publicly glorify the murderous deeds of the past. | "Now is the time for Sinn Féin to learn the lessons from these dark events and to deal with the fact that it, and many of its individual members, continue to publicly glorify the murderous deeds of the past. |
| "This needs to end if we are to build a future based on integrity and respect," she added. | "This needs to end if we are to build a future based on integrity and respect," she added. |
| Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann welcomed Mr McElduff's resignation but said that "it should have happened last week". | Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann welcomed Mr McElduff's resignation but said that "it should have happened last week". |
| He called for "a non-partisan candidate who will be a voice for victims to contest this seat against Sinn Féin". | He called for "a non-partisan candidate who will be a voice for victims to contest this seat against Sinn Féin". |
| "If a candidate emerges that allows cross-community support to coalesce around, it would send a strong message that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated," he said. | "If a candidate emerges that allows cross-community support to coalesce around, it would send a strong message that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated," he said. |
| Sinn Féin's northern leader Michelle O'Neill said Mr McElduff told her of his intention to resign on Sunday evening. | Sinn Féin's northern leader Michelle O'Neill said Mr McElduff told her of his intention to resign on Sunday evening. |
| "Barry is doing so as a consequence of the unintended hurt caused to the Kingsmills victims and their loved ones by his recent social media tweet," she said. | "Barry is doing so as a consequence of the unintended hurt caused to the Kingsmills victims and their loved ones by his recent social media tweet," she said. |
| "He has said that he does not want to be a barrier to reconciliation and I respect that decision." | "He has said that he does not want to be a barrier to reconciliation and I respect that decision." |
| The resignation will trigger a by-election in West Tyrone, where last year Mr McElduff had a majority with more than 50% of the overall vote. |