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Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

The Tories were the ones who started peace talks in Northern Ireland. Prior to that though, John Hume and Gerry Adams had already started peace talks and were negotiating a ceasefire. All of this has stalled before the Labour party were elected in 1997. This is when Mo Mowlan, on behalf of the British Government asked for Corbyn to be go between.

This is a question put to Corbyn by the Jewish Chronicle and beneath is Corbyn's reply

Why do you associate with Hamas and Hezbollah and refer to them as your “friends”?

The term ‘friends’ was used purely as diplomatic language in the context of dialogue, not an endorsement of a particular set of views. In the difficult quest of establishing a peace, it is common for the term “friend” to be used as part of the process. “Friend” in this case becomes a term of diplomacy as an aid to dialogue between disparate groups rather than a description of a relationship or an endorsement of a set of views.

Jeremy has met many people with whom he profoundly disagrees, in order to try to promote a peace process. He has supported and continues to support peace and reconciliation processes in South Africa, Latin and Central America, Ireland and of course in the Middle East. He believes it is necessary to speak to people with whom there is disagreement – merely talking to people who already agree won't bring about a settlement.

http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/14...even-questions

Well throughout the Troubles there will have been government dialogue with the IRA and loyalist forces. That's what governments do but it's very different to the romantic platitudes that Corbyn's team have bestowed on the IRA in the past.

Surely even the most dogmatic of Corbyn supporters will accept that he was no neutral intermediary in the Troubles. He opposed the 1985 Anglo-Irish agreement specifically because it accepted Northern Ireland as part of the UK, something he could never support. To say that Sinn Fein were people he 'profoundly disagrees' with is just disingenuous. Maybe he could say that if he was also meeting with Ian Paisley and David Irvine but he never did, did he? As I've posted before, I've seen all of Corbyn's explanations, listened to the half-apologies given by McDonnell, and I am still unconvinced by them. Again, he uses the term 'friend' about Hamas while simultaenously arguing that Netanyahu be detained for war crimes and that the Israeli football team should not be allowed to play a match in Cardiff. If this is his idea of peacemaking then it is horribly imbalanced.