Alex Burghart: We as the UK will back Northern Ireland in the event of a border poll
A letter from Alex Burghart:
I’m grateful to the News Letter for publishing this letter to allow me to clarify some remarks I made on the BBC Borderlands podcast.
On reflection, I think it is clear that, in the event of a border poll in Northern Ireland, the UK government would have a duty to campaign for the Union and not remain neutral.
Westminster did, of course, campaign for the Union during the 2014 Scottish referendum and should – in the unlikely event of a vote in Northern Ireland – do so again.
Under the last Conservative government, it was policy that the secretary of state, the prime minister, and the whole government were within their rights to campaign for the Union using whatever resources were required.
Whilst it is the case that the Belfast Agreement requires the sovereign power to exercise responsibilities with “rigorous impartiality”, governing with “rigorous impartiality” must not mean official neutrality when it comes to Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.
I am pleased to be able to say to your readership that there has been no change in my party’s position.
As to whether the Republic should be able to campaign in such a vote, in principle I would see a border poll as a domestic matter.
In practice, the practicalities of preventing Dublin from becoming involved would likely be very challenging.
Alex Burghart MP, shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland