Myths are being peddled about the border, DUP leader says

Arlene Foster yesterday told a conference on unionism in London that 'myths' were being peddled about a return to a hard Irish border with checkpoints in the event of Brexit.
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The DUP leader, who was speaking at the event near the House of Commons in London, said: “As a unionist I see no logic or rationale for a hard border being created between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

“The only people stirring up the myths of border checkpoints are those who are committed to unpicking the Union.

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“They seek to use such imagery to advance and build support for their long term political objective.”

Arlene Foster, DUP leader and former First Minister of Northern Ireland, speaks at a Policy Exchange conference titled The Union and Unionism - Past, Present and Future, in central London. Monday May 21, 2018.  Photo: John Stillwell/PA WireArlene Foster, DUP leader and former First Minister of Northern Ireland, speaks at a Policy Exchange conference titled The Union and Unionism - Past, Present and Future, in central London. Monday May 21, 2018.  Photo: John Stillwell/PA Wire
Arlene Foster, DUP leader and former First Minister of Northern Ireland, speaks at a Policy Exchange conference titled The Union and Unionism - Past, Present and Future, in central London. Monday May 21, 2018. Photo: John Stillwell/PA Wire

The seminar, organised by the think tank Policy Exchange and entilted ‘Union and unionism — Past, Present and Future,’ included an array of prominent speakers who have an interest in the Union.

Among them were the Labour politicians, Lord Darling of Roulanish, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Paul Murphy, who served as both a Welsh secretary and Northern Ireland secretary.

Two figures in the present government, Michael Gove, the Environment minister and Brandon Lewis MP, the chair of the Conservative Party, both gave addresses.

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In her comments to the conference, Mrs Foster hit out at the former prime ministers Tony Blair and Sir John Major over the positions they have taken on the Northern Ireland border issue.

Delegates at the Policy Exchange seminar on unionism, held Great George Street, Westminster on Monday May 21 2018.Delegates at the Policy Exchange seminar on unionism, held Great George Street, Westminster on Monday May 21 2018.
Delegates at the Policy Exchange seminar on unionism, held Great George Street, Westminster on Monday May 21 2018.

The DUP leader said it was “very wrong” for people like Mr Blair and Sir John to emphasise potential downsides of Brexit and not respect the vote to leave.

Mrs Foster again insisted her party would not accept a Brexit deal that put a regulatory border down the Irish Sea.

She added a “backstop” option of extending membership of the customs union, to allow for an alternative to be found, would need to be time limited.

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Mrs Foster said: “There has to be a backstop on the backstop. It is vitally important that if that is to happen there is clarity in relation to the timing of it, for businesses in particular.

“We will not support a withdrawal agreement that creates a legal protocol with a new regulatory border down the Irish Sea.”

She said she hoped the Northern Ireland Assembly would be back in operation “very soon” so it could decide on devolved issues.

The Conservative former Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers also told the conference is was possible to avoid a hard border and leave the customs union.

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Ms Villiers was very critical of people who talk up the threat of an increase of paramilitary violence as a result of a post Brexit border.

Mrs Foster said that some people sought to use the UK exit from the European Union as “a means to sadly foment division” in Northern Ireland.

She spoke about the fact that she came from the most westerly part of Northern Ireland, Fermanagh, on the edge of the Union.

Her father had been attacked by the IRA at home when she was a child, she said, and recounted seeing him come into the house bleeding.

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Northern Ireland, she told the delegates, is now transformed and “whilst we never should be complacent the pervading feeling of constantly being under siege is no longer the case”.

She added: “Unionism of course is at its best when it is confident, outward looking and welcoming and we must move forward with that confidence.

“Citizenship and rights are essentially unionist issues. They are issues we should set out to reclaim.

Nationalism is by its nature narrow and exclusive and being a unionist is the opposite.

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“Unionism stands for pluralism and multiculturalism and we are inclusive and welcome all. That should be our strapline. Confident unionism can capture the diversity that nationalism cannot.

“It transcends nationalism and allows individuals to express the cultural values or identity that they wish.”

Meanwhile, Mr Gove was asked after his address about the United Kingdom being “in crisis”.

“I don’t think it is,” he said. All developed western nations were still dealing with the aftermath of the financial crisis, he said.

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Mr Gove defended his support for Brexit, and said the European Union is a union that doesn’t work, whereas the United Kingdom is one that does.”