Sinn Féin

Leader

Gerry Adams MP MLA

Founded

Original party: 1905
Provisional Sinn Féin: 1970

Ideology

Republicanism, Socialism

Background

The origins of the Sinn Féin movement (meaning 'we ourselves') date back to 1905, when Arthur Griffith presented a policy declaring that the Act of Union of Great Britain and Ireland was illegal, and sought to re-establish the dual monarchy.

In 1972, the party split to form the Provisional IRA and its political wing Provisional Sinn Féin, whilst the remainder of the party became known as Official Sinn Féin, eventually merging with the Irish Labour Party.

Although Sinn Féin is widely regarded as the political wing of the IRA, both groups maintain that they are entirely separate and independent from one other.

Sinn Féin is currently the second-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly (with 28 seats), where it has four ministerial posts in the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive.

Sinn Féin currently has 5 representatives in the House of Commons, however, they have not taken these seats up as as they will not swear the oath of allegiance.