Windsor Not Welcome in Ireland

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Tuesday August 18, 2009 15:11

by PRO - éirígí

éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson has reiterated the socialist republican party’s commitment to oppose any visit to Ireland by Elizabeth Windsor in response to comments by the outgoing British ambassador David Reddaway.

In a media interview published yesterday [Monday], Reddaway said that he is “very hopeful” that Windsor, the commander-in-chief of Britain’s armed forces,would make a state visit to the Twenty-Six Counties “before too long”.

Reddaway also stated that, despite the continuing occupation of the Six Counties, the relationship between Britain and Ireland had been “transformed”.

Leeson said: “éirígí’s position on this issue has been clear for a long time. As long as the British occupation of the Six Counties continues, Elizabeth Windsor is not welcome in any part of Ireland. We will actively oppose the extension of any invite to Windsor to visit the Twenty-Six Counties as well as any subsequent visit.

“A number of figures who have been central to the British government’s normalisation strategy in the Six Counties have, for a long time, been talking up the possibility of a state visit by Windsor. This is the context any invite and visit should be seen in – it would be another attempt by the British establishment to portray its occupation of the North as acceptable and normal.

“Even David Reddaway has admitted that relations between Britain and Ireland are not normal. Considering the fact that the British government continues to deny the Irish peoples’ right to democracy and national unity, how could relations be normal?”

Leeson continued: “The British government, its embassy in Ireland and the Twenty-Six County government should be under no illusions that a state visit by Elizabeth Windsor will be vigorously opposed by Irish republicans.

“Until the British army gets out of Ireland, its commander-in-chief should stay out of Ireland.”
ENDS.

Note to editor 1: éirígí has been running a campaign against British royal visits to Ireland for a number of years. More details are available at http://www.eirigi.org/campaigns/ImperialistsoutofIrelan....html

Note to editor 2: éirígí is an Ireland-wide, socialist republican political party, formed in 2006 to provide a vehicle for the national, social and economic liberation of the people of Ireland.