Suella Braverman ‘at sea and ignorant’, Sinn Fein’s president warns

Comments by Suella Braverman present the UK authorities is “at sea and ignorant” on Irish affairs and the Middle East, Sinn Fein’s president has mentioned.

Mary Lou McDonald has accused the Tories of “gratuitous insult” after the house secretary mentioned pro-Palestinian “hate marches” have been of the kind “we are more used to seeing in Northern Ireland”.

The lady hoping to be the subsequent Taoiseach – Ireland’s prime minister – was talking completely to Sky News on the eve of her get together’s annual convention.

Ms McDonald mentioned: “I think it demonstrates the extent to which the Tory government, and she perhaps in particular, are at sea and ignorant of Irish affairs and also … the distance between the Tory government and such a huge number of people in England and right across Britain.

“They have been extraordinary, they have been to say the least unhelpful, in as a lot as ultimately they’re a distraction from a scenario that might not be extra severe.

“I think it would suit her better and the government better to join with others and call for a ceasefire.

“It strikes me that the federal government in London is de facto at this stage a little bit of a previous grasp at gratuitous insult.

“If the idea is simply to create division or arouse controversy, well then she has achieved those objectives.”

Ms McDonald mentioned Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer was “wrong on both questions” of a ceasefire within the Middle East and the timing of a referendum on Irish unity.

Drawing comparisons between Ireland and Palestine, Ms McDonald mentioned the Irish individuals had a deep and widespread affiliation with Palestinians for historic and modern causes.

She mentioned: “Ireland is non-aligned and militarily neutral, but we are not neutral when it comes to the issue of international law and we’re not neutral when it comes to the right of Palestinian people to self-determination.

“We’re not impartial after we say that Israel should be held to account for many years, generations of human rights violations.

“We also recognise that to get to a place of peace and settlement, you do have to have an inclusive process. We’ve learned that in Ireland, haven’t we?

“That’s the one factor that works.”