Billy Leonard

“he knew who really held the power in the party…”

Pete Baker on June 20, 2012, 4:41 pm

| Readers 101

BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport notes some lines of interest from former Sinn Féin MLA, Billy Leonard’s memoir, “Towards a United Ireland – an uncompleted journey”. From Mark Devenport’s blog The memoir is revealing on the discussions within Sinn Fein at the time of the Northern Bank robbery and the murder of Robert McCartney and, as he told me on Inside Politics, Mr Leonard believes the IRA’s tentacles still run through the party. He writes that “when the IRA …

Sinn Féin suspends Billy Leonard, MLA, from party

Pete Baker on March 10, 2011, 12:11 pm

| Readers 338

Odd one this. The BBC are reporting that Sinn Féin have suspended Billy Leonard, MLA, from the party due to a “disagreement over his support arrangements”. Leonard, and the party, announced in November last year that he would not stand as a candidate in the forthcoming Assembly election saying that there were “a number of other interests [he wished] to pursue, including writing a book.” From the BBC report East Londonderry Sinn Fein MLA Billy Leonard is refusing to comment on his apparent suspension by …