Abstention and why Sinn Féin refuse to take their seats in Westminster

Sinn Féin's policy of abstention from Westminster has been one that has stayed the course of the party for more than 100 years. The policy mimics the example of how Hungary seceded from the Austrian Empire to become the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary with their representatives refusing to go to Vienna or to recognise Austrian authority.

In a series of articles published in 1904, the party's founder Arthur Griffith used the example of Austria-Hungary as a way for Ireland to break away from the United Kingdom with Irish MPs refusing to go to Westminster and instead going to Dublin where the system of local government established under the 1898 Local Government Act could be used to lay the foundations of a new Irish state.

As Sinn Féin grew, nationalists in the north were apprehensive about the policy as they thought that it may bring about partition.

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In 1917 the party committed itself to establishing an Irish republic for the first time and in the 1918 election, they won 73 of the 105 seats with their candidate Countess Constance Markievicz becoming the first woman ever elected to the UK House of Commons.

The MPs refused to take their seats and in January 1919, they met in Dublin and declared themselves Dáil Éireann, becoming the first Irish parliament.

Following partition, the party also adopted the policy of abstaining from the Dáil as they viewed it as a partitionist parliament.

The party established the Garland Commission in 1967 to look at ending it's policy of abstentionism which eventually led to a split in the party in 1970 when a motion to end it's policy of abstentionism at the Dáil, Stormont and Westminster failed to get a two-thirds majority at their Ard Fheis.

Those who were anti-abstentionist went on to form Official Sinn Féin which eventually became The Workers Party.

In 1986, the party ended it's policy of abstention in the Dáil. At the 1997 election, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin became the first Sinn Féin TD elected to the Dáil for Sinn Féin since 1957 and the first to take his seat since 1922. Sinn Féin ended their abstention at Stormont following the Good Friday Agreement.

Another reason why Sinn Féin's MPs refuse to sit in Westminster is due to the requirement to take an Oath of Allegiance to King Charles, his heirs and successors. As a republican party, it is a matter of principle for them not to recognise the authority of the British monarchy.

While the party's MPs have since accepted offices in Westminster and claim to regularly hold meetings with Government ministers and other MPs, refusing to take the oath prevents them from being able to sit in thee House of Commons chamber or take up positions on Select Committees.

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