It is a noble tradition in British colonial history that opponents of the crown are eventually invited into the fold, usually over a cup of tea at a palace garden party.
Sinn Féin is developing a rather closer relationship with the crown. Martin McGuinness, the self-confessed former IRA member, broke new ground for Irish republicans by becoming a minister of the crown. McGuinness now serves as the Queen's deputy first minister in Northern Ireland.*
And today we learn that Gerry Adams has taken his party's relationship with the crown a step further with his appointment as Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. His elevation to an office for profit under the crown automatically disqualifies Adams from serving as MP for West Belfast, clearing the way for him to stand in the forthcoming election to the Irish Parliament in Louth-East Meath.**
This is the Treasury's statement this afternoon:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has this day appointed Gerard Adams to be Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.
Adams insists that he did not apply for his new role as a crown bailiff. It appears that the Treasury took matters into its own hands after Adams wrote to the commons speaker, John Bercow, announcing his resignation. Sinn Féin told the Guardian earlier this week that it "couldn't give a toss" about British parliamentary traditions which require MPs to apply for an office for profit under the crown if they want to resign.
David Cameron had a joke at the expense of the Sinn Féin president today during these exchanges in the commons with Nigel Dodds, the DUP MP for North Belfast:
ND: The prime minister may be aware that one of the members elected to this house has decided to emigrate, and he may want to chalk that up as one of his achievements. [Gerry Adams] seems to be extremely embarrassed about applying for an office for profit under the crown although he has shown no such embarrassment in profiting from his office in this House for many years at taxpayers' expense. When will the prime minister deliver on his pre-election pledge to hard-pressed taxpayers that he will abolish parliamentary money for parliamentary purposes going to those who do not fulfil their parliamentary duties?
DC: First of all, just in case everyone has not caught up with the news [Nigel Dodds] is quite right that [Gerry Adams] has accepted an office of profit under the Crown, which is of course the only way to retire from this House. I am not sure that Gerry Adams will be delighted to be a Baron of the Manor of Northstead, but nonetheless, I am pleased that tradition has been maintained. On the very serious point [Nigel Dodds] makes about allowances, in my view we should be aiming for all members who are elected to take their seats in this house. That is what should happen and if some Members have a problem with what that entails, they ought to look at a remedy for that and should come and talk about it. That is the most important thing we could achieve.
This is what Adams said this afternoon:
The only contact I have had with the British Parliament is a letter I posted to them last Thursday.
That letter said: 'A chara, I hereby resign as MP for the constituency of west Belfast. Go raibh maith agat. Gerry Adams'.
When I was told of the British prime minister's remarks today this was the first I heard of this development. I understand Mr Cameron has claimed that 'the Honourable Member for West Belfast has accepted an office for profit under the Crown.'
This is untrue. I simply resigned. I was not consulted nor was I asked to accept such an office. I am an Irish republican. I have had no truck whatsoever with these antiquated and quite bizarre aspects of the British parliamentary system.
I am proud to have represented the people of west Belfast for almost three decades and to have done so without pledging allegiance to the English Queen or accepting British parliamentary claims to jurisdiction in my country.
It was a wrench for me to give up the West Belfast seat. I am very grateful to all those citizens who worked and voted for Sinn Féin through good times and bad times in defiance of the British government and its allies in Ireland. But I gave a commitment that when the election to the Dáil was called I would resign the West Belfast seat to stand for the Louth and East Meath constituency and I have.
Mr Cameron's announcement that I have become Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, wherever that is, is a bizarre development. I am sure the burghers of that Manor are as bemused as me. I have spoken to the prime minister's private secretary today and he has apologised for today's events.
While I respect the right of British parliamentarians to have their own protocols and systems, no matter how odd these may appear to the rest of the world in general and Irish people in particular, the prime minister should not make claims which are untrue and inaccurate. The onus is on the Westminster parties to call a byelection as soon as possible in the West Belfast constituency. In the meantime let me assure the people of West Belfast that the Sinn Féin party will continue to provide our first class constituency service and representation.
* Sinn Féin will argue that ministers swear an oath to the Act of Parliament which established the Northern Ireland Asssembly. They will say this makes McGuinness a minister of the assembly and not of the crown.
** Adams could have served in both parliaments under legislation introduced by Tony Blair's government. But he told the Guardian this week that it was important that West Belfast is properly represented.
