Ireland fears vote on Irish unity in the wake of a no-deal Brexit

Leo Varadkar, the Irish Prime Minister has said a vote on Irish unity in the wake of a no-deal Brexit would be “divisive” and “not the right way forward”.

Varadkar was speaking during a debate at west Belfast festival Féile An Phobail.

Earlier, he said he still believed a no-deal Brexit could be avoided.

But he said a border poll following a no-deal could result in some of the mistakes made during the partition of Ireland being repeated.

Varadkar said if his government prepared for a border poll, it would be “counterproductive” as he has made efforts to persuade unionists that the EU withdrawal agreement – including the backstop – has been about protecting the status quo and not an attempt to bring about constitutional change.

Varadkar argues that Northern Ireland cannot be simply grafted on to the Irish Republic in the way that East Germany was assimilated into West Germany.

Instead, Leo Varadkar says an entirely new state with a new constitution would be required, which considers the British identity of a sizeable section of its potential future population.

 

 

Via BBC