Brexit: Michelle O’Neill rules out prospect of Stormont veto on backstop

Michelle O'Neill accused the government and DUP of 'taking a hatchet and sledgehammer' to the NI economyMichelle O'Neill accused the government and DUP of 'taking a hatchet and sledgehammer' to the NI economy
Michelle O'Neill accused the government and DUP of 'taking a hatchet and sledgehammer' to the NI economy
A restored Executive cannot have any veto over the working of the border backstop, Sinn Fein’s Stormont leader has said.

Michelle O’Neill made clear that Sinn Fein would reject any move to bolster the powers of the devolved administration in relation to the backstop’s operation.

Devolution in Northern Ireland can only be resurrected if both of the main parties, Sinn Fein and the DUP, agree to enter another power-sharing coalition.

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“There will not be any situation where there will be a veto handed to this Assembly,” said Mrs O’Neill.

Mrs O’Neill’s comments came in response to speculation that the government may move to strengthen the role of the Assembly in domestic law in order to win DUP support for the Brexit withdrawal treaty.

Assembly structures mean the DUP could, with the assistance of a small number of like-minded MLAs, wield a veto on backstop matters by triggering the “petition of concern” voting mechanism.

The government has already committed to giving Stormont a consultative role before a decision is made to either enter the backstop or extend the implementation period.

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And, if the backstop does come into effect, the Stormont Assembly and Executive would be given a role in its operation, with the legislature being asked to consent to any new or amended EU laws applying to the region.

Mrs O’Neill said: “Of course there can be a consultative role, that was set out in the withdrawal agreement as it stands, but there cannot be any veto afforded to the DUP or anybody else in this situation.

“This is a desperate situation, this is chaos, this is catastrophic, and I believe the DUP and British government are taking a hatchet and sledgehammer to our local economy and the needs of people here, so there can’t be a situation where there would be a veto handed to the Assembly.”

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