Following apology for Bobby Sands post, Labour Club at Cambridge University agree to meet Northern Ireland victims group SEFF

The Labour Club at Cambridge University, who made an apology for sharing an online post quoting IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, has agreed to meet with a Northern Ireland victims group.
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By Graeme Cousins
Published 23rd Aug 2023, 16:36 BST

SEFF Director Kenny Donaldson had asked for a meeting with the university's Labour Club after it shared a post on Instagram from socialist republican group Lasair Dhearg.

The post commemorated the 42nd anniversary of the H-Block hunger strikes and featured a quote from Bobby Sands that “generations will continue to meet the same fate unless the perennial oppressor – Britain – is removed".

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Mr Donaldson got a swift response from the Labour Club at Cambridge, agreeing to meet with the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) victims group.

Gunmen fire over the coffin of hunger striker Bobby Sands in 1981. He had been in prison since 1976 after shooting at police and planting a bomb at a furniture shop.Gunmen fire over the coffin of hunger striker Bobby Sands in 1981. He had been in prison since 1976 after shooting at police and planting a bomb at a furniture shop.
Gunmen fire over the coffin of hunger striker Bobby Sands in 1981. He had been in prison since 1976 after shooting at police and planting a bomb at a furniture shop.

He said: "We welcome the commitment from the Labour Club at Cambridge University to meet with us where we will seek to educate their members as to the realities of terrorism and other Troubles related violence.

"We are encouraged at the speed at which our request has been responded.”

He added: "We welcome that an apology has come from the Labour Club at Cambridge University but we should never have been in a place where this was ever required.

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"The UK Labour Party needs to send out a message from the top to the bottom of the organisation that just as anti-semitic views and behaviours will not be tolerated, neither will behaviours and attitudes which align with a terror movement responsible for the murder of circa 1,800 people – men, women and children from right across the community.”

Of the group’s plan to educate the Labour Club, Mr Donaldson said: "We will educate their members upon the realities of who the hunger strikers were and the crimes for which they were incarcerated, but we will also raise their awareness around the 57 lives lost outside the prison walls over the period of the hunger strikes – remembering those who had no choice, as well as the legacy of terrorism and other Troubles related criminal violence which remains stark for many to this day".

"We hope to build a positive relationship with the club which will see our group return regularly to meet with them as well as the Conservative and Unionist Club and other political party youth movements organised within the university.”