Quote:
Originally Posted by MTVN
I don't really see the relevance of most of this to my post. I read neither of those blogs you speak of, I don't really need the very basic history lesson and I know that both Labour and the Tories played an important role in peace talks at different times. Mind you I would like a source for these statements about Mo Mowlam asking Corbyn on behalf of the government to contact Sinn Fein. Googling it I find it mentioned only in a couple of blog comments by the same commenter.
All I was saying was that Corbyn very clearly did sympathise with the militant Republican movement - even if he did not support violence himself - he was close to Gerry Adams and co throughout the Troubles and he was not a neutral party reluctantly engaging with those he 'profoundly disagreed' with for the sake of peace.
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I agree, Corbyn did sympathise with the republican movement and no, he didn't support the violence.
Mo Mowlam herself was very involved with the political prisoners in Northern Ireland. Corbyn was merely her errand boy.
http://www.history.co.uk/biographies/mo-mowlam
In early 1998, when negotiations in Northern Ireland had reached an impasse, Mowlam took a significant political risk. She entered the Maze Prison near Belfast, to speak to convicted Irish paramilitaries face-to-face, when it became apparent that the peace process required their backing. Following her visit with the prisoners, their political representatives announced they were rejoining the talks. Shortly after, the Good Friday Agreement for Ireland was secured on 10th April 1998.
As for finding it on the web, I doubt you will. I can only reiterate what I've been told. Because this story made a lot of sense and because I wasn't told this by someone in the Labour party, I have no reason to question it.