Former deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon says voting for Sinn Fein's abstentionist policy 'risks all the progress of the past thirty years'

Former SDLP Deputy Leader and deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon has said that voting for Sinn Fein given their abstentionist policy at Westminster could 'risk all the progress of the last thirty years' given the current uncertain political situation.

Speaking while campaigning in South Down for Margaret Ritchie, Mr Mallon said: “The choice is very clear - elect a candidate who can represent people of all backgrounds, who will protect the Good Friday Agreement and who will fight against Theresa May’s plans for a dementia tax and a hard Brexit. Or choose a party who won’t take their seat, can’t represent all those who live here, and whose main political ambition is to silence South Down’s voice and abandon the fight for the Good Friday Agreement.

“Sinn Féin’s plan for Irish politics is to remove all representation from Westminster for the first time since the 1960s, and to end a tradition in Irish politics started by Daniel O’Connell himself.

“Without a functioning Assembly, MPs could be our only public representatives with any power to hold direct rule Ministers to account. To give up that card by voting for abstentionist MPs risks all the progress we’ve made in the last thirty years.”