Labour row erupts over call to support Sinn Fein and its socialist manifesto However, MPs have warned any move closer to the party, which has historic links to the IRA, would do further damage to the party

A furious row has broken out within Labour as to whether the party should support Sinn Fein following its electoral success in Ireland earlier this month.

MPs have warned any move closer to the party, which has historic links to the IRA, would do further damage to the party among traditional Labour voters.

It is also feared Sinn Fein’s central demand for a border poll – a referendum – on the unification of Ireland will put off patriotic Labour voters who want to see the United Kingdom preserved.

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But one Shadow Cabinet member and ally of leadership hopeful Rebecca Long-Bailey said Sinn Fein’s strong socialist manifesto meant Labour should consider formally supporting the Irish party.

Key issue

“The Sinn Fein manifesto was basically our manifesto so you can see a surge for our kind of politics,” the shadow minister said.

“Obviously, we currently support the SDLP [Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland] but whether or not we should back Sinn Fein is a debate that should be had in the party. We have had people fighting for many years about the reunification of Ireland.”

The frontbencher said whether to support Sinn Fein will be “a key issue at our annual conference”.

Any move to support Sinn Fein will go down badly among pro-union Labour members, particularly in the wake of the Labour leadership’s lukewarm defence of the UK in Scotland, which has seen the party haemorrhage support north of the border.

But it is the party’s historic links to the IRA that has many MPs concerned that it could play against the party in its battle to reclaim its support in the industrial heartlands.

Catastrophe

One senior Labour MP said: “Corbyn’s perceived links to the IRA went down catastrophically on the doorstep. Moving closer to Sinn Fein would simply make things worse. When it comes to Ireland’s constitutional future, we should stay out of it. Our only job is to uphold the Good Friday Agreement.”

Conor McGinn, the Northern Irish-born Labour MP for St Helens, said the Labour Party had “enough to do working out how we respond to the results of the last election in this country, never mind the one in Ireland”.

Mr McGinn added: “Labour is first and foremost the party of the Good Friday Agreement. We have a record as honest brokers and enjoy strong relations with unionists, nationalists, the Irish government and all parties in working to promote peace, progress and prosperity in Northern Ireland. I think our members are proud of that and want it to continue.”