Mary Lou McDonald stays silent on support for Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald has declined to repeat the claim that Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy is a good republican after a BBC Spotlight programme raised fresh concerns over his history.

She refused to restate the phrase at the launch of her party’s latest call for the Moore Street 1916 site to be saved by the next government.

Asked about the BBC programme’s allegation that Mr Murphy is a “mass murderer” who “sent those people out to commit murder on behalf of the provisional IRA”, Ms McDonald repeatedly said he, like every other citizen, is accountable to the law.