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The group are hosting a fringe event in Brighton on the future of Northern Ireland. Titled “A Decade of Opportunity – Towards A New Ireland”, the event will discuss the unification of Northern Ireland with the Republic.<\/p>\n
Labour’s official policy supports Northern Ireland’s place as part of the UK.<\/p>\n
However, the hosting of the Sinn Fein event will draw concerns about its commitment to the Union.<\/p>\n
Labour’s shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Louise Haigh, is billed to be speaking at the event.<\/p>\n
In a move likely to provoke, Labour’s listing for the fringe event in its official programme refers to Ms Haigh as “shadow secretary of state to the North of Ireland”.<\/p>\n
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On the Labour party’s official website, Ms Haigh is referred to as “shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland”, but Sinn Fein takes offence to the name “Northern Ireland”.<\/p>\n
Sinn Fein regards the official name of the province to be a British construct and anti-Irish.<\/p>\n
One Conservative MP told Express.co.uk: “How can you say you support the future of the United Kingdom and at the same time welcome Sinn Fein with open arms?”<\/p>\n
Another said: “If you lie down with dogs, don’t be surprised if you catch flees.<\/p>\n
“Sinn Fein and the IRA, well they never did miss an opportunity did they to try and bash a Conservative Government.”<\/p>\n
Sinn Fein is historically associated with the terrorist group the IRA.<\/p>\n
DON’T MISS:<\/strong> The paramilitary group was responsible for carrying out a number of attacks on Britain during the 1980s.<\/p>\n In 1984 the group targeted The Grant Hotel in Brighton while the city was hosting the Conservative party conference.<\/p>\n Then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and multiple cabinet ministers were staying at hotel when the IRA attacked it with a time bomb.<\/p>\n Five people died in the attack, including Conservative MP Sir Anthony Berry.<\/p>\n Margaret Tebbit, the wife of cabinet minister Norman Tebbit, was paralysed from the chest down.<\/p>\n Sinn Fein has appeared at a number of Labour Party conferences in the past to take part in fringe events.<\/p>\n Officials say the party remains committed to being “honest brokers” between all parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly.<\/p>\n The Labour Party declined to comment on Sinn Fein’s presence at this year’s party conference.<\/p>\n
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Starmer faces scrap with hard-left at conference, says MACER HALL [INSIHGT]<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/secondary\/The-Grand-Hotel-was-bombed-by-the-IRA-in-the-1980s-3667298.jpg?r=1632576913779\")
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