British Gov replies to Irish American Unity Conference: We Will Not Countenance Joint Authority

The President of the Irish American Unity Conference, Peter Kissel, wrote a letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, MP on June 29th, in which Mr. Kissel called on British Government to "abide by democratic principles."

The letter, which can be read here, called on the British Government to:

• Re-establish the Northern Ireland Executive by requiring the Democratic Unionist Party to honor their democratic mandate; or

• Invoke the authority in the North-South Governmental Body to oversee the ful functioning of government operations in Northern Ireland jointly with the Irish Government, and

• Withdraw the proposed Amnesty legislation to give victims and victims' families the justice they deserve and to which they are entitled under the Stormont House Agreement.

Lord Caine, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, wrote back to Mr. Kissle, "on behalf of the UK government."

Mr. Kissle says that Lord Caine's reply, "...insults the United States Government - including Congress, the Irish Government, the Irish American lobby, and even the UK’s own House of Lords."

He continues,"The Irish American Unity Conference has received an appalling letter from the British Government which lays bare the UK’s disdain for Irish America. Lord Caine, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, writing “on behalf of the UK Government,” basically tells the US and Ireland to stay out of Northern Ireland affairs. Caine’s letter, dated July 24, is in response to the IAUC’s June 29 letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which asked the UK to withdraw the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill in toto, and to require the Democratic Unionist Party to re-enter the Northern Ireland Executive, or alternatively to exercise joint authority with the Irish Government."

Read Lord Caine's Letter and Peter Kissel's response below.