Paul Maskey

A lifelong Irish republican activist, Paul Maskey worked extensively in Belfast local politics before becoming an MP. From 2001 to 2009, Maskey served on Belfast City Council and acted as Sinn Féin’s group leader from 2005 to 2007. In addition to this, he was elected to serve on the Assembly for West Belfast in 2007 and 2011. Due to Sinn Féin’s long standing policy of abstentionism, he has not taken his seat in Parliament since being elected. Responding to pressures for Sinn Féin MPs to take their seats to influence Brexit votes, Maskey reiterated his party’s fundamental stance that they were elected to continue to represent the belief that “Britain and its political institutions should have no part in governing the people of Ireland.” Maskey described the confidence and supply agreement between the Conservatives and the DUP as “anxiety and fear-inducing”, and has vocally opposed Brexit. Stating that there are “no reasons to be cheerful about Brexit for the people of the north and for people right across the island of Ireland,” Maskey has continued to push for a greater respect for the will and the rights of the Irish people.