Advertisement

Labour Party conference app uses controversial republican term ‘north of Ireland’

Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife are greeted by Labour activists as they arrive for the annual party conference - Ian Forsyth
Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife are greeted by Labour activists as they arrive for the annual party conference - Ian Forsyth

Labour has landed itself in hot water after allowing Northern Ireland to be described using the republican moniker of the "north of Ireland” on the party’s conference app.

On Saturday evening, the app described Peter Kyle, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, as “Shadow Secretary of State for North of Ireland”.

Sinn Fein regards the name “Northern Ireland” as a British construct, with its alternative of “the north of Ireland” designed to convey the perceived illegitimacy of the nation north of the border.

The apparent error is a repeat of a controversy that hit the party at its conference in Brighton last year, when Louise Haigh, Labour’s then shadow Northern Ireland secretary, was described as “Shadow Secretary of State to the North of Ireland” in a listing for an event hosted by Sinn Fein.

At this year’s conference in Liverpool, Mr Kyle is also due to speak at a Sinn Fein fringe event titled “The Promise of Good Friday: Real Change in Ireland” - one of the events appearing under his title on the app.

Mr Kyle told The Telegraph that the wording had occurred because the app used words “supplied by outside groups hosting meetings so people can see what’s going on across the city”.

“It is not in any way reflecting words spoken, crafted or published by me or the Labour Party,” he said.

Mr Kyle also told The Telegraph that he disagreed with the description used by Sinn Fein and that it will “always be Northern Ireland for the Labour Party”.

‘I don’t want words to be a barrier to discussion’

But he added that he said he would not let differences in language stop him from engaging with people across the political community in Northern Ireland.

“I don’t want words to be a barrier to discussion, so I go to these meetings and introduce myself by my proper title and get down to the task at hand,” he said.

Relations with unionist politicians were strained under Jeremy Corbyn because of his history of support for the republican movement, as well as that of John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor.

Since taking over as Labour’s leader, Sir Keir has sought to reposition the party as a patriotic force committed to the union.

Sir Keir has said he would campaign for Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK if there was a border poll in his lifetime.

The party also sang the national anthem at this year’s conference.