REFORM UK has been accused of trying to criminalise the use of Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Cornish in election materials.
The Representation of the People Bill is currently going through Westminster and if it is voted through and signed into law would extend the voting franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds at the next general election.
The deputy leader of Reform UK, Richard Tice, has tabled an amendment to the Bill. The amendment calls for election materials, including placards, posters or other literature to only be permitted to be in English or in Welsh. Under the proposals, a person breaking the rules could be jailed for up to six months and be forced to pay a fine.
The amendment is backed by Reform’s six other MPs.
Julian de Spáinn, General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge, has called on MPs to "ensure that the amendment is rejected".
"It goes against the principles of the Good Friday Agreement in which Irish is to be protected," he said. "It is a throwback to the Penal Laws, the last of which was removed only last year when laws around the use of Irish in courts were struck down.”
In Scotland the SNP has demanded that Reform withdraw the proposal and Maree Todd, an SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Highlands and Islands, referenced the ‘brutal anti-Gaelic laws of the Highland Clearances,’ which were the evictions of a significant number of tenants in the Scottish Highlands and Islands in the 18 and 19 centuries.
Five of Cornwall’s six MPs have signed a joint statement describing the plan as a “direct attack on the Cornish language, identity and culture.”
Curtha i leith Reform go bhfuil siad ag iarraidh coir a dhéanamh d’úsáid na Gaeilge, Ghaeilge na hAlban agus na Coirnise
Tá sé curtha i leith Reform UK go bhfuil siad ag iarraidh coir a dhéanamh d’úsáid na Gaeilge, Ghaeilge na hAlban agus na Coirnise in ábhar toghcháin.
Tá an Bille um Ionadaíocht an Phobail ag dul fríd Westminster faoi láthair, agus má ghlactar leis an bhille agus má chuirtear chun dlí é, beidh cead vótála ag daoine atá 16 agus 17 mbliana d’aois ag an chéad olltoghchán eile.
Chuir leascheannaire Reform UK, Richard Tice, leasú ar an bhille. Molann an leasú gur chóir ábhar toghcháin, póstaeir, plaicéird nó ábhar eile dá leithéid a bheith i mBéarla nó i mBreatanais amháin.
Thiocfadh pionós príosúin sé mhí a ghearradh ar dhuine a bhriseann na rialacha a mholann Tice, agus thiocfadh pionós airgid a ghearradh orthu fosta.
Tá seisear Ball Parlaiminte eile de chuid Reform UK, Lee Anderson, Sarah Pochin, Danny Kruger, Robert Jenrick, Andrew Rosindell agus Suella Braverman ag tacú leis an mholadh.
Dúirt Julian de Spáinn, Ard-Rúnaí Chonradh na Gaeilge: "Éilím ar Bhaill Pharlaminte le cinntiú nach nglactar leis an leasú. Tá sé in éadan prionsabail Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta agus is cosúil gur filleadh ar na Péindlíthe atá i gceist leis an leasú. Caitheadh amach an Phéindlí dheireanach anuraidh nuair a baineadh dlíthe faoi úsáid na Gaeilge sna cúirteanna.”
Tá an SNP ag éileamh ar Reform go mbaintear an leasú agus rinne Maree Todd, Ball Parlaminte na hAlban do Gharbhcríocha agus Oileáin na hAlban, tagairt do ‘na dlíthe brúidiúla frith-Ghaelach le linn Fuadaichean nan Gàidheal,’ nuair a díbríodh tionóntaí sna Garbhcríocha agus ar Oileáin na hAlban san 18 agus 19 aois.
Tá cúigear as seisear Ball Parlaminte as Corn na Breataine i ndiaidh comhráiteas a shíniú a chuireann síos ar an leasú mar "ionsaí ar an Choirnis, agus ar fhéiniúlacht agus ar chultúr Chorn na Breataine."
