Epolitix provides an undetailed platform for Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, to accuse the Tories of ignoring the bipartisan consensus over the province. This unseasonal attack is undoubtedly one of the first forays in undermining Cameron's claim of supporting Blair, when necessary. This is not a clever move, as Hain wants to provide an amnesty for those terrorists who went on the run for small matters like bombing, killing and maiming innocent civilians. But we need to pardon them for an amnesty so we can stay on the right side of Sinn Fein. Epolitix is a little too succinct in their article:
Hain is
particularly angry that the Tories have been trying to block the
Northern Ireland
As David Lidington, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary robustly answered,
"We continue to operate a bi-partisan policy on Northern Ireland wherever possible, which sometimes involves giving the government the benefit of the doubt," he told the Today programme. "But on this bill we are looking at something that would allow people who have committed barbaric murders, things like the Enniskillen Poppy Day massacre, to go free without serving one day in prison or even appearing themselves in court.
"I think Mr Hain is choosing very weak ground on which to try to pick a major fight and point the finger at us."
If individuals have committed violence against others, they should stand trial in a court of law. The right of innocent victims to see justice done should not be traduced by the political expediency of a government that seeks additional concessions to promote their 'peace process'.