Former Northern Ireland agriculture minister Michelle Gildernew is seeking a nomination to stand for Sinn Féin in the Midlands-North West constituency in the upcoming European elections.
Gildernew has been a senior Sinn Féin elected representative for 25 years serving as an MP, an MLA and minister. She was also part of the party’s first delegation to Downing Street.
Gildernew grew up in a political family in Co. Tyrone where her parents were involved in the civil rights campaign.
Elections
Gildernew said that “Ireland needs to be the fore in setting the direction of the European Union in the years ahead”.
“I want to play a role in making that happen by bringing my experience of negotiation and dealing with EU institutions as a former agriculture minister to the job of standing up for Irish interests in the European Parliament.
“The European Union played a key role in ensuring Brexit did not create a hard border in Ireland, and I believe the North’s future must be within the European Union as part of a united Ireland,” she said.
Gildernew believes that “Ireland needs stronger representatives in the European Parliament”.
“A strong Sinn Féin team will call out the EU when needed if it is not acting in the best interest of the Irish people or when EU office holders overstep their remit as the EU Commission President did in recent months,” she said.
The former agriculture minister said that if she is elected her priorities will include “ensuring the needs of Irish farmers are at the heart of the next round of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) negotiations”.
Sinn Féin
Sitting Sinn Féin MEP for Midlands Northwest Chris MacManus welcomed that Michelle Gildernew will seek the party nomination to be a second candidate in the constituency for the elections in June.
“Michelle has the skills and experience to be an excellent representative for the Irish people on the European stage.
“I believe a strong Sinn Féin team can transform the Midlands Northwest. Our region has tonnes of potential but it needs voices that will stand up for workers and families.
“It is our ambition in Sinn Féin to win two seats in Midlands Northwest and deliver the change that people seek,” MacManus said.