The “chaos” engulfing Westminster underlines the intensifying need to break away from the “shackles of Westminster”, Michelle O’Neill has said.
Stormont’s Sinn Fein First Minister was speaking in London after meeting with the SNP and Plaid Cymru following their election victories last week.
The results of elections mean there is now a nationalist first minister in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Ms O’Neill was joined by party president Mary Lou McDonald in London on Thursday as they spoke to reporters about the election results and the internal turmoil within the Labour Party as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer continues to battle for his political future.
Ms McDonald said Westminster is witnessing “the kind of chaos that we experienced throughout the whole Brexit process”.
Standing outside Parliament, she added: “We’re here after a weekend of seismic change where, again, you see Scotland on the march, Wales on the march, an increasing realisation that Westminster does not serve the interests of the people – that certainly is the case for Ireland.
“We’re witnessing, again, the kind of chaos that we experienced throughout the whole Brexit process, and I think it’s little wonder now that people are looking increasingly towards a new constitutional arrangement, where decisions affecting Ireland are taken in Ireland, and where we forge our future together.”
Noting Ms O’Neill met with the SNP and Plaid Cymru on Wednesday night, Ms McDonald added: “Our political engagements with them will continue and of course our call remains on the British Government to be true to the Good Friday Agreement, to honour in full its commitments, and to start preparations now for referendums for the reunification of Ireland.”
The Sinn Fein leader told journalists current events in Westminster are “testing” and “challenging”, adding: “Our concern is that Irish interests are not damaged in any way, whatever position or decision is taken here, by whoever it is that might occupy Number 10.”
Ms O’Neill said the UK Government’s focus has been on “internal drama”, rather than the cost of living, and “we need to break the shackles” from Westminster.
Sinn Fein’s vice-president said: “I think as the melodrama unfolds here… the people at home are left wondering, where’s the support for the cost of living? How are they going to get through these times?
“We as an Executive are in the middle trying to set a budget.
“We’re engaged with the Treasury, we’re engaged in the British Government (at) minister level, but their emphasis is not on those priorities, their emphasis is on this internal drama that’s happening in Westminster, so that does have a detriment to the people that we represent.
“That’s why I think people understand, increasingly so, that their future needs to be beyond the limitations of this Westminster drama.
“They brought us Brexit, they brought us austerity, they brought us chaos after chaos. I think people want better, deserve better, we want better for them too.
“I think that’s why the conversation around breaking the link from Westminster is one that’s very acute right now.
“I think the election results over the weekend, the people of Scotland have spoken, the people of Wales have spoken, and I believe increasingly so, the people at home know that their fortunes are much better in their own hands, and I think we need to break the shackles from Westminster.”
“I think that regardless of who occupies Number 10, they never have and never will prioritise our interests.”
Earlier this week, Ms O’Neill spoke to SNP leader John Swinney and Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth, who has since become First Minister of Wales.
Ms O’Neill made history in 2024 when she became Northern Ireland’s first nationalist First Minister. However, the republican politician is not the sole leader of the Stormont Executive and instead jointly leads alongside DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, as both roles are co-equal.
Earlier this week, Ms Little-Pengelly said Northern Ireland needs a First Minister to stand up for it, not promote its abolition.
The DUP MLA told the Assembly: “I believe what Northern Ireland really needs is a First and deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland, not a First Minister for the abolition of Northern Ireland.
“I do believe that we should be unashamedly proud of this place. I am. I will always turn up and stand up and speak up for Northern Ireland. I count it a huge honour and responsibility to get the opportunity to do so.”
