MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said Thursday the Irish nationalist party would not take any seats it might win in the House of Commons, a decision that can help the Conservatives toward a majority.
"If we are fortunate enough and privileged enough to have our candidates returned as MPs, it will be on the basis that we will not be going to take our seats in Westminster," Adams told reporters.
Sinn Fein won four seats in 2015 but decided to stay away from Westminster. If it repeats the stunt in the ongoing election, the number of seats the Conservatives need to regain to keep a majority will be down to 324, instead of the current 326.
The Tories are forecast to win 314 seats in the 650-seat Commons after claiming 330 seats under Prime Minister David Cameron in the 2015 general election.
