This would be huge…
If Britain depart from the EU, it should lead to a border poll on a united Ireland according to deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness.
The former Irish presidential nominee has said that if Britain voted to leave the EU, it would be a “democratic imperative” to allow the people of Ireland to vote on a united Ireland.
According to the Guardian, Mr McGuinness said that people have the right to retain “a role in the EU”.
“If Britain votes to leave the European Union then that could have huge implications for the entire island of Ireland and, given all the predictions, would run counter to the democratic wishes of the Irish people,” Mr McGuinness said.
“If there is a vote in Britain to leave the EU there is a democratic imperative to provide Irish citizens with the right to vote in a border poll to end partition and retain a role in the EU,” he added.
The largest Unionist party in Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist party, have emerged in favour of the departure from the EU. Meanwhile the Ulster Unionist party have backed David Cameron’s calls to vote on remaining in the EU in the June referendum.
Provisions for border poll were written into the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and Mr McGuinness has claimed that Britain should give a commitment on honouring this in case of a Brexit.
It remains highly unlikely that a border poll would be granted from Westminster even if Britain chooses to leave the EU. Although opinion polls do show that there’s a strong majority in favour of remaining part of the UK.
Main image via Twitter/@M_McGuinness_SF
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