McCartney sisters in talks with Blair

The family of murdered Belfast father of two Robert McCartney is to meet Tony Blair later today.

Two of his sisters, Catherine and Paula McCartney, have headed to London for talks with the British prime minister at Downing Street.

They have been joined by Sinéad Commander, whose husband, Jeff, was assaulted in September during a confrontation between pro- and anti-McCartney factions in the republican Short Strand area.

As they set off for London, Catherine McCartney said they were hoping to dispel a myth that the people involved in her brother’s murder were rogue elements in republicanism.

“This is the first time we will have met Tony Blair on a formal basis and we will be updating him on the investigation,” she said.

“But we will also be stressing that Sinn Féin is still not doing all it can.

“There is a misconception among people in the British government and even among some in the United States that the people involved in Robert’s murder are rogue elements in republicanism who are opposed to the peace process and who are not under the control of Sinn Féin.

“There is evidence that people involved in Robert’s murder are applying for prominent roles in organisations in the community which stem from the benefits of the peace process.”

Robert McCartney was stabbed outside a Belfast city centre bar in January during a confrontation between republicans who had returned from a Bloody Sunday march and his friend, Brendan Devine.

His friend survived the knife attack.

The McCartney sisters and his partner, Bridgeen Hagans, have accused republicans of cleaning up the murder scene and forcing witnesses to remain silent since his murder.

Their campaign forced the IRA to expel three of its members.

Two men were also charged in connection with the murder in June.

The family has met US President George Bush this year in the White House, as well as a number of senior politicians in Washington such as Senator Hillary Clinton and Edward Kennedy.

They have also met Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, members of the European Commission and European Parliament, and even took their campaign to Sinn Féin’s annual conference in Dublin.

In October,Mr Blair and his wife, Cherie, presented the sisters and Ms Hagans with a Daily Mirror Pride of Britain award for their tireless campaign for justice.

Mr Blair told the awards ceremony in October: “It gives me great pleasure to honour the McCartney sisters, whose fight is a fight for justice.

“They have fought it in the most extraordinary and difficult circumstances.

“They deserve, in my judgment, the admiration of everyone.”

Former US President Bill Clinton also said in a televised message: “Your fight for justice born out of the tragic loss of Robert and your efforts to bring his assailants to trial have won you respect and admiration all around the world, not least here in the United States.

“Because you stood up against those who wanted to silence you and continued to speak out despite intimidation and threats, I have no doubt that your campaign contributed to the historic changes that have recently taken place in Northern Ireland.”