SDLP Irish Language Spokesperson Patsy McGlone MLA has condemned proposals from Reform UK that would effectively criminalise the use of Irish on election materials, saying they expose the party’s ignorance of Northern Ireland and offer a stark warning about the direction of politics at Westminster under Nigel Farage.
Reform UK has tabled an amendment to the Representation of the People Bill that would restrict election publications to English or Welsh only. If passed, the proposal could expose candidates and campaigners who publish election material in Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish and other recognised languages to criminal sanctions.
Patsy McGlone MLA said, “This is what a Farage future looks like for people in Northern Ireland.
“Reform UK has shown once again that it knows next to nothing about this place and cares even less. Anyone with even a passing understanding of the North would know that Irish is an indigenous language, spoken every day across communities and protected by law.
“The idea that someone could face criminal sanctions for publishing election material as Gaeilge is as absurd as it is offensive. Irish belongs to everyone who chooses to speak it and no party at Westminster should be trying to criminalise its use.
“This amendment tells us everything we need to know about Reform. It exposes a party that neither understands nor respects the unique history, identities and political agreements that shape life here in the North.
“It also underlines why the SDLP believes our future should not be tied to an increasingly inward-looking Westminster. We want to build a confident, inclusive New Ireland where every tradition is respected, where rights are protected and where our languages are celebrated rather than treated as something to be feared.”
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