Sinn Fein MPs may have to declare interests

Sinn Féin MPs may have to declare their outside interests if new legislation is passed today by the British House of Commons.

Mr Gerry Adams, Mr Martin McGuinness, Mr Pat Doherty and Ms Michelle Gildernew - elected to Westminster in June 2001 - escaped the rules under a loophole.

Mr Martin McGuinness, one of the Sinn Fein Westminster MPs that could be effected by the new regulations

They refused to take up their seats, because they refuse to take an oath of allegiance to the British crown, thus escaping the rule requiring them to declare earnings outside Parliament within three months of taking their seats.

However, they did take up House of Commons offices and allowances after a ban was lifted earlier this year.

The loophole has now been closed by the Commons leader, Mr Robin Cook.

The four Sinn Féin MPs will now have to declare their interests within the three months if rule changes are passed by MPs today, as expected.

A Sinn Féin spokesman said last month that the party’s representatives had nothing to hide and were had been making moves to disclose the information before the changes came into place.