MS Roisin McAliskey, the pregnant republican prisoner who was due to contest the Mid-Ulster constituency in the forthcoming Westminster election, has withdrawn from the race.
The McAliskey family last night said that Ms McAliskey, who is eight months pregnant, would not be contesting the seat which her mother, Bernadette, won in 1969. The decision follows a Sinn Fein meeting in Dublin which decided the party would not withdraw in favour of Ms McAliskey.
Ms McAliskey is awaiting extradition to Germany where is wanted for questioning about an IRA attack on a British army base. Concern has been expressed about her jail conditions.
Her family announced last week that she would be standing in MidUlster and appealed for the two other nationalist candidates, Mr Denis Haughey of the SDLP, and Sinn Fein ardcomhairle member Mr Martin McGuinness, to stand aside. The sitting MP is the Rev William McCrea of the DUP.
The SDLP immediately refused, to stand down. Sinn Fein said it would meet her mother to discuss the issue. But it pre empted this by deciding at an internal meeting in Dublin on Saturday not to withdraw from the race.
A statement from the family said: "Sinn Fein have conveyed to us that their decision to contest the Mid Ulster election must be viewed in the context of the importance of compelling the next British government to face up to the issues at the heart of the conflict.
"They see the candidature of Martin McGuinness as crucial to their election strategy and rebuilding the peace process. We respect Sinn Fein's right to promote their political strategy and we thank them for the clarity and the promptness of their response which avoids discussion to no good end."