Politics

Paul Maskey challenges Gerry Carroll on Brexit stance

Sinn Féin's Paul Maskey has challenged People Before Profit to say whether it still supports Brexit. Picture by Paul Faith/PA Wire
Sinn Féin's Paul Maskey has challenged People Before Profit to say whether it still supports Brexit. Picture by Paul Faith/PA Wire Sinn Féin's Paul Maskey has challenged People Before Profit to say whether it still supports Brexit. Picture by Paul Faith/PA Wire

SINN Féin's West Belfast MP has challenged People Before Profit over its stance on Brexit.

The Irish News revealed last week that West Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll plans to fight the Westminster election on an "anti-Tory Brexit" platform.

Mr Carroll campaigned against EU membership ahead of last June's referendum.

He topped the assembly poll in West Belfast a month earlier with 8,299 first preference votes.

However, in last month's snap Stormont election his vote almost halved – a result that many commentators attributed to People Before Profit pro-Brexit stance.

Mr Carroll said his party was as opposed to "Theresa May's Tory Brexit" as it was to the prime minister's Remain position in the referendum.

"We remain opposed to the undemocratic nature of the EU and have not changed our position since the referendum but we will not support Theresa May’s vision of a Tory Brexit, nor her dismissal of concerns in devolved regions," he said.

However, Sinn Féin's Paul Maskey accused Mr Carroll of "attempting to pull the wool over the eyes of people in West Belfast".

"People before Profit actively supported leaving the EU and Gerry Carroll was triumphant in the immediate aftermath of the EU referendum result, despite the devastating consequences that will bring for working class communities and also the very real prospect of a hard border with checkpoints," he said.

Mr Maskey challenged Mr Carroll to say whether he would vote for Brexit in a fresh referendum.

"Gerry Carroll knows his support for leaving the European Union flies in the face of the overwhelming 74% remain vote in west Belfast," he said.

Meanwhile, People Before Profit have confirmed that veteran Eamonn McCann will not be contesting the Foyle seat on June 8.

The party has selected Shaun Harkin, who said he had the backing of the left-wing author and campaigner who failed to hold his assembly seat in the March 2 assembly election.