European leaders open to Northern Ireland remaining in EU

European leaders, open to, Northern Ireland, remaining, in ,EU



The EU was condemned for 'meddling' today after raising the prospect that Northern Ireland could stay in the bloc if it merges with the Republic.

The hugely controversial issue will be raised at a crucial Brussels summit this weekend, where leaders will agree their Brexit negotiating demands.

They are expected to approve a text making clear that a united Ireland would be welcome to stay in the club.

But former Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson condemned the move, telling MailOnline the EU was interfering in issues that were 'none of their business'.

And DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said he believed there was 'no chance' Northern Ireland would want to abandon the UK and join a 'struggling' EU.

The row erupted as European Council President Donald Tusk issued a warning that Theresa May will have to settle issues around Ulster's future before talks on a Brexit trade deal can begin.

Nearly 56 per cent of Northern Ireland voters supported remaining in the EU in the historic referendum in June last year.

The Good Friday agreement of 1998 currently allows for a ballot on reunification should there be feeling that it would pass. However, a poll in Northern Ireland last year found only 22 per cent backed a united Ireland, with 63 per cent happy to remain in the United Kingdom.

The Irish government has been pushing for the EU to adopt a position similar to the GDR arrangement, which allowed East Germany to enter the European Community after the fall of the Berlin Wall.



Enda Kenny, the Irish Taoiseach, is said to be confident of securing agreement on the principle this weekend.

Although the clause is not expected to feature in the formal negotiating guidelines, it would carry political weight and could encourage those trying to break up the UK.

But Tory MP Mr Paterson said: 'The UK voted democratically to leave the EU last year. It is very unwise for the EU to meddle in the integrity of the UK in the negotiations to follow.

He added: 'It is worse than unnecessary. It is none of their business.'

Lagan Valley MP Sir Jeffrey told MailOnline: 'None of this changes the reality that Northern Ireland remains part of the UK and I believe it is likely to do so in the lifetime of every single person alive today.

'What the EU is doing is little more than clarifying a legal position. No person in their right mind would want to give up British citizenship to join an organisation that is seriously struggling. It's not going to happen.

'This is no more than the Irish government trying to lay down a marker that there wouldn't be a problem.



'There is more chance of the Irish Republic wanting to rejoin the UK... given its huge dependence on the UK for trade.'

A UK government source told the Financial Times: 'Northern Ireland's constitutional position as part of the UK is based firmly and clearly on the freely given consent of its people.

'The UK government has consistently upheld the principle of consent regarding Northern Ireland's future.

'It is clear that the majority of the people of Northern Ireland continue strongly to support the current political settlement, including Northern Ireland's continuing position within the UK.'

Nicola Sturgeon was quick to call for a second referendum on Scottish independence as Brexit negotiations got underway, but the idea has been rubbished by the UK Government.



The summit this Saturday will see the 27 leaders put the final stamp on the Brexit negotiation guidelines.

In a letter to leaders ahead of the gathering, Mr Tusk said that 'before discussing our future, we must first sort out our past'.

He said the key issues in the first phase would be the fate of three million EU citizens living in Britain and one million Britons resident in the EU, demands for the UK to pay a huge divorce bill, and the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

'This is not only a matter of tactics, but - given the limited time frame we have to conclude the talks - it is the only possible approach,' Mr Tusk wrote.

'I would like us to unite around this key principle during the upcoming summit, so that it is clear that progress on people, money and Ireland must come first.

'And we have to be ready to defend this logic during the upcoming negotiations.'

After 2019 the line between Northern Ireland and the Republic will be the only land border between the UK and EU.

But Mrs May has insisted she is determined to avoid the re-introduction of a 'hard' border - which could potentially undermine the Good Friday agreement.