Northern Ireland General Election 2024: TUV leader Jim Allister slams Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill claims that Westminster never acts in interests of NI

Speaking to the Press Association about Thursday's general election, Ms O'Neill has now said: “Westminster has shown that they never have and never will act in our interests.

“So I think that people understand that their fortunes are best served by politics working here at home and I think that’s the message that certainly I engage with people on the doors, day and daily."

Ms O’Neill also rejected criticism over Sinn Fein MPs continuing their long-held policy of not taking their seats at Westminster, insisting the party makes a difference.

Michelle O'Neill, Vice President of Sinn Fein speaks with PA Media at Parliament Buildings at Stormont in Belfast. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

“Sinn Fein MPs work very hard for the constituencies, and people know that whenever they vote for a Sinn Fein MP, that they’re getting that hard-working local MP,” she said.

The MLA said Sinn Fein wants to maximise the number of “progressive” MPs returned from Northern Ireland.

The party is running 14 candidates, but standing aside in East Belfast, North Down and Lagan Valley, where Alliance is challenging unionists, as well as South Belfast where the SDLP is hoping to return to the green benches.

“We want this election to return the maximum number of progressive candidates,” Ms O’Neill told the PA news agency.

“The maximum number of MPs that want to make politics work here at home, the maximum number of MPs that reject Tory austerity and the cuts that have decimated our public services for the past 14 years, and also to reject those people that actually propped up the Tories throughout that tenure, so that we set aside in those constituencies to actually make space for that progressive candidate to come through.”

TUV leader Jim Allister said that Sinn Fein's “grandstanding” economic approach is “beg and blame”.

“With the Sinn Fein minister due on Monday to introduce a Supply Resolution in the assembly which shows a subvention from Westminster of £25.3 billion, it is typical of the grab, grab mentality and hypocrisy of Sinn Fein that Michelle O’Neill should whinge that the UK never acts in our interests.

“For Sinn Fein it is all about grab what they can and still complain that it’s never enough. Beg and blame is their grandstanding economic approach.

“I didn’t hear them complain, though, when Westminster foolishly gave them the Irish language legislation as the price of their return to Stormont in 2020, nor their abortion death charter or met their same-sex marriage demands. And, they certainly weren’t whinging when the Blair government shamefully granted their special IRA friends on the run letters.”

DUP South Antrim candidate Paul Girvan said her comments “ignore the massive multi-billion pound subvention that keep Northern Ireland’s schools, hospitals and roads functioning”.

He added: “In my constituency we were able to bring broadband to 6,000 rural homes who had little or no broadband by funding secured in London. That project brought broadband to 10,000 homes in Michelle O’Neill’s constituency as well. We use our influence in London to deliver whilst Sinn Fein just take the money and don’t turn up.”

UUP Deputy Leader and Lagan Valley candidate Robbie Butler challenged Ms O’Neill’s comments regarding her party’s decision to stand aside in four constituencies. He said was “a clear declaration that Sinn Fein are endorsing Alliance candidates in an attempt to minimise Pro-union voices at Westminster".

Mr Butler added: “This statement by the First Minister of Northern Ireland, is a ‘dog whistle’ for Sinn Fein voters to support Alliance candidates in North Down, East Belfast, South Belfast and my own constituency of Lagan Valley.”

He added: “I have spoken to long-term Alliance voters in Lagan Valley who are uncomfortable that the Alliance party seem happy to accept this endorsement.

“As for Westminster providing nothing for Northern Ireland, the reality is it provides a hefty annual subvention for Northern Ireland, and although it continues to be below need, it didn't stop Sinn Fein from voting for it in one breath while decrying Tory austerity in the next.”