First Sinn Fein speech heard in Commons

Jonathan Reed

A LEEDS University student has become the first Sinn Fein member to speak in the House of Commons.

Connor Morgan, 18, insisted his Sinn Fein membership was “completely irrelevant” as he addressed a meeting of the UK Youth Parliament sitting in the Commons chamber, where he spoke initially in Gaelic.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Morgan, who comes from Maghera but is studying politics at Leeds University, spoke during a debate on tuition fees but his appearance will anger traditionalists, already uneasy that members of the Youth Parliament are allowed to use the historic chamber. Sinn Fein MPs do not take their seats in Westminster because they refuse to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen.

Speaking before the event, Mr Morgan said: “I’m here today just for the young people of my area.

“That’s the only thing I want, to represent the young people of my area. I want to represent their views.”

More than 300 delegates aged between 11 and 18 debated a range of issues including whether the school leaving age should be raised to 18 immediately in order to lower youth unemployment and whether to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by 2012.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They then held a series of votes, opposing a rise in tuition fees by 267 to 57 – a result which drew applause and cheers.

At the end of the debates, Speaker John Bercow hailed the day a “dramatic success” and expressed hope it would become “completely uncontroversial” for the UKYP to use the chamber.

Other delegates included Emma Chadwick, from Gildersome in Leeds, as well as North Yorkshire youth councillors Rosie Corrigan,17, from Selby, Matthew Windle, 18, from Harrogate, and Ben Lacey, 16, from Richmond.