Brexit could collapse Stormont, warns UUP MLA Beattie

Doug Beattie has claimed that if Sinn Fein choose to remain in the Assembly after the Government invokes Article 50 to formally begin the process of leaving the EU, it would make “a nonsense” of their claim to be an all-Ireland party.

The Upper Bann MLA said: “But if they leave the Executive in protest, the Assembly would come tumbling down and yet another crisis would be created.

“They don’t want to be seen as bringing down the Assembly, so it leaves Sinn Fein in a crisis.

“Their immediate reaction to the UK’s vote to quit the EU was to demand a border poll, but the Secretary of State rejected this, pointing out that the conditions had not been met – in other words, it had no chance of success.

“Sinn Fein also suggested that the European referendum had asked the wrong question, and that Scotland and Northern Ireland had voted to remain.

“But the question was simply whether the whole of the UK – of which Scotland and Northern Ireland are part – wanted to remain... But that’s democracy.

“The UK – and an integral part of the EU – voted against, and as a democrat, I accept the result, even though I voted to stay. There’s no point in calling for change after the event.

“The question was straightforward and they didn’t query it beforehand, probably thinking the UK would remain within the EU.”