'We can unite with Ireland' Northern Irish party deputy chief warns May over hard Brexit
THE deputy leader of a political party in Northern Ireland warned Theresa May the country could unite with Ireland to ensure it remains inside the European Union.
Stephen Farry warns May of a possible 'reunited Ireland'
Stephen Farry, of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, urged Theresa May to think again about her ‘hard’ Brexit path.
Speaking to Daily Politics on the BBC, the former employment minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, said Mrs May had a mandate after the Brexit vote last June but urged her to tread with caution.
“There is a mandate from the referendum last year and indeed potentially through the General Election,” he said.
“But the reality is no matter what happens for the UK as a whole, Northern Ireland is a special case.
Stephen Farry warned Northern Ireland could unite with Ireland to rejoin the European Union
We do have the option, not one I’d particularly advocate, to rejoin the European Union through a united Ireland
“For example, we do have the option, not one I’d particularly advocate, to rejoin the European Union through a united Ireland at some stage if that’s what the people of Northern Ireland choose.
“But we have the Good Friday Agreement and Northern Ireland only works on the basis of sharing and interdependence and Brexit’s all about putting up new divisions and new barriers.
“So there has to be some sort of special arrangement put in place for Northern Ireland, not least because of the fact that we have a land border with the remainder of the European Union through the Republic of Ireland.”
Sinn Fein has called for an Irish unity referendum within five years.
The republican party said ending partition of the island between Northern Ireland and the Republic had gained a new urgency following the Brexit vote.
The party added the north should enjoy designated special status within the European Union after the UK exit.
The remaining 27 member states have declared that Northern Ireland can resume membership if the island is united.