Gerry Carroll has condemned an attack on him by Paul Maskey’s election agent Cllr Ciaran Beattie, where he labelled the People Before Profit MLA a “Brit” in a social media statement.
Mr Carroll said: “I am disappointed that SF are engaging in this kind of pathetic slander. We have received a number of messages from people in West Belfast, including some Sinn Féin supporters, who were disgusted by Mr Beattie’s comments.
“This is gutter politics at its worst, and I would call on Paul Maskey to put it on record whether he approves of his election agent’s comments.”
“It is disrespectful to the people of West Belfast, and to the thousands of people who vote for People Before Profit. Everyone should expect a robust debate during an election. But labelling your opponents “Brits” because you are in competition with them is wrong, and should be stopped”
“When Ciaran Beattie described me as a “Brit”, he was obviously referring to the fact that People Before Profit will take our seats in Westminster, to represent the people of West Belfast, if elected. We will do this in the tradition of Bernadette Devlin, who took her seat in order to expose the establishment. Was she a ‘Brit’ too? Who else is a Brit in the eyes of Sinn Féin?”
“Are those who lark about with Prince Charles, the head of the Paratroopers, Brits? What about those who toast the Queen? A little consistency wouldn’t go astray.”
“Regardless, these slanders should be left in the past, and the electorate of West Belfast should be allowed to hear real debate and real politics. That’s what this election should be about, not this kind of outrageous slander.”
