Outrage over Sinn Fein MPs' office

Sinn Fein leaders should be required to take the Oath of allegiance to the Queen before being allowed to open an office at Westminster, David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, said yesterday. Mr Trimble said he will be protesting to the Commons authorities about the allocation of an office to Sinn Fein at the Palace of Westminster following the election of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness (left) as MPs.

The two Sinn Fein leaders are ready to use the House facilities, including an office to be opened by Siobhan O'Hanlan, an alleged IRA supporter, but they are not going to take their seats, or the Oath. Lord Tebbit, whose wife was paralysed in the Grand Hotel bombing in Brighton, said Mo Mowlam, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, should make it clear they were allowing no concessions to terrorists.