Parliament Punishes Sinn Fein

LONDON — British lawmakers Thursday eliminated Sinn Fein’s right to claim $750,000 in parliamentary expenses, a move designed to punish the Irish Republican Army-linked party for recent alleged IRA crimes.

Sinn Fein said the move was “undemocratic” and a political attack on its constituents.

After several hours of debate, lawmakers from all major parties in the House of Commons agreed to prevent Sinn Fein’s four elected members from claiming office, staff and travel expenses for the next year.

The governing Labor Party shot down two hard-line amendments from the main opposition party, the Conservatives, that sought to make the expense ban permanent and prevent Sinn Fein from entering the Parliament building at all.