'˜Politicians should talk to us about Brexit' says academic

Cathal McCall, a professor in European politics at Queen’s University Belfast, said he is still awaiting an invitation from Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire to discuss the fallout from the UK’s vote to leave the EU.

He said: “We hope that the Northern Ireland Assembly does start to engage fully with academics, the business community and the NGOs (non-governmental organisations) as well because it is a vitally important issue.”

Prof McCall was giving evidence to Westminster’s Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee. He said he had received invitations from private firms keen to learn how they could be affected by border changes.

Independent MP Lady Sylvia Hermon said: “Since the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has said publicly he is very keen to meet businessmen and all the rest, I am sure it will not go unnoticed from this committee that there is a desire among academics and Queen’s and elsewhere to meet.”