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| Labour urges PM to block ex-MEP's peerage over IRA comments | Labour urges PM to block ex-MEP's peerage over IRA comments |
| (1 day later) | |
| Labour has called on Boris Johnson to block a peerage for an ex-MEP who has refused to apologise for comments about an IRA attack in 1993. | Labour has called on Boris Johnson to block a peerage for an ex-MEP who has refused to apologise for comments about an IRA attack in 1993. |
| Former Brexit Party MEP Claire Fox was among 36 new appointments to the House of Lords unveiled last week. | Former Brexit Party MEP Claire Fox was among 36 new appointments to the House of Lords unveiled last week. |
| She was a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) which defended the bombing in Warrington. | She was a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) which defended the bombing in Warrington. |
| No 10 said Ms Fox had "addressed her historic comments about the Troubles" and was not a Conservative appointment. | No 10 said Ms Fox had "addressed her historic comments about the Troubles" and was not a Conservative appointment. |
| Tim Parry, 12, and Johnathan Ball, three, were killed in the IRA attack on the Cheshire town on 20 March 1993 which left 56 others injured. | Tim Parry, 12, and Johnathan Ball, three, were killed in the IRA attack on the Cheshire town on 20 March 1993 which left 56 others injured. |
| In a newsletter after the bombing, the RCP said it defended "the right of the Irish people to take whatever measures necessary in their struggle for freedom". | In a newsletter after the bombing, the RCP said it defended "the right of the Irish people to take whatever measures necessary in their struggle for freedom". |
| Ms Fox, who ceased to be a Member of the European Parliament after the UK's EU exit in January, has been criticised for not condemning the RCP statement. | Ms Fox, who ceased to be a Member of the European Parliament after the UK's EU exit in January, has been criticised for not condemning the RCP statement. |
| The Brexit Party's candidate for Warrington quit over the matter ahead of the European elections in May 2019 when Ms Fox won her North West England seat. | The Brexit Party's candidate for Warrington quit over the matter ahead of the European elections in May 2019 when Ms Fox won her North West England seat. |
| In a statement at the time Ms Fox said: "I do not condone the use of violence." | In a statement at the time Ms Fox said: "I do not condone the use of violence." |
| When she was asked ahead of the election if she still thought the IRA had the right to carry out the attack, she replied: "I think there was a war going on at that time." | When she was asked ahead of the election if she still thought the IRA had the right to carry out the attack, she replied: "I think there was a war going on at that time." |
| "You have to accept that I think that is long since gone." | "You have to accept that I think that is long since gone." |
| Ms Fox was nominated for a non-affiliated peerage in the recent Dissolution Honours list. | |
| Appointments to the upper chamber are officially made by the Queen on the recommendation of the prime minister and political parties. | |
| 'Terrible tragedy' | 'Terrible tragedy' |
| After her nomination to the Lords was announced, Ms Fox told the Mirror: "Contrary to what has been reported elsewhere, I do not support or defend the IRA's killing of two young boys in Warrington in 1993." | After her nomination to the Lords was announced, Ms Fox told the Mirror: "Contrary to what has been reported elsewhere, I do not support or defend the IRA's killing of two young boys in Warrington in 1993." |
| "I have not mentioned the horrific times of over 23 (now 27) years ago since then and do not believe there is any justification for violence in Ireland today." | "I have not mentioned the horrific times of over 23 (now 27) years ago since then and do not believe there is any justification for violence in Ireland today." |
| "The killing of Johnathan Ball and Tim Parry was a terrible tragedy. | "The killing of Johnathan Ball and Tim Parry was a terrible tragedy. |
| "The 1994 IRA ceasefire and the 1998 Good Friday Agreement drew a line under the conflict. It's surely time to move on." | "The 1994 IRA ceasefire and the 1998 Good Friday Agreement drew a line under the conflict. It's surely time to move on." |
| 'Crass insensitivity' | 'Crass insensitivity' |
| Charlotte Nichols, Labour MP for Warrington North, has written to the PM calling for the appointment to be blocked, saying it had caused "revulsion" in her constituency. | Charlotte Nichols, Labour MP for Warrington North, has written to the PM calling for the appointment to be blocked, saying it had caused "revulsion" in her constituency. |
| Supporting her demand, the party's deputy leader Angela Rayner said Ms Fox had "repeatedly refused to apologise for her support of the heinous IRA bombing attack". | Supporting her demand, the party's deputy leader Angela Rayner said Ms Fox had "repeatedly refused to apologise for her support of the heinous IRA bombing attack". |
| She accused Mr Johnson of showing "crass insensitivity to the families of those who lost their lives in 1993". | She accused Mr Johnson of showing "crass insensitivity to the families of those who lost their lives in 1993". |
| "If the prime minister refuses to block this nomination, he is showing that he doesn't care about the victims and survivors of terrorism in our communities." | "If the prime minister refuses to block this nomination, he is showing that he doesn't care about the victims and survivors of terrorism in our communities." |
| Colin Parry, whose son Tim died in the bombing, has said Ms Fox's nomination "offends me and many others deeply". | Colin Parry, whose son Tim died in the bombing, has said Ms Fox's nomination "offends me and many others deeply". |
| A No 10 spokesman said: "Claire Fox has addressed her historic comments about the Troubles and acknowledged the pain that the families of the victims of terrorism have faced. | A No 10 spokesman said: "Claire Fox has addressed her historic comments about the Troubles and acknowledged the pain that the families of the victims of terrorism have faced. |
| "She is not a Conservative peer, and her political views will differ from those of the Conservative government". | "She is not a Conservative peer, and her political views will differ from those of the Conservative government". |