Rishi Sunak dismisses calls for referendum on united Ireland

05 February 2024 , 15:12

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Rishi Sunak said people in Northern Ireland are more interested in 'day-to-day things' (Image: PA)

Rishi Sunak has dismissed calls for a referendum on a united Ireland.

The PM met Michelle O'Neill, who is the first Irish republican to become First Minister of Northern Ireland. The Sinn Fein politician has said she believes there will be a border poll on leaving the UK within the next 10 years.

Speaking on a visit to Belfast Mr Sunak said this shouldn't be the focus of the new executive, and suggested it's not what the public want. He stated: "It is not constitutional change, it is delivering on the day-to-day things that matter to people." He said Northern Ireland would receive "more funding and more powers than they have ever had" after a new agreement was reached to break the stalemate.

Meanwhile Irish premier Leo Varadkar said questions about reunification are "not for today". He continued: "I think today is really about marking the fact that the Good Friday Agreement, which we voted for in big numbers north and south, is now functioning again." And Mr Varadkar added: "I think today really should be about that rather than constitutional change."

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, a border poll on a united Ireland can be held if it "appears likely" that a majority of voters want Northern Ireland to stop being part of the UK. But these terms haven't been clearly declined - meaning a nationalist majority in the Northern Ireland Assembly, a Catholic majority or an Assembly vote could be used to support a vote.

Out of touch Rishi Sunak doesn't regularly read papers or online news sites

Asked on Sunday whether she anticipated a referendum in the next 10 years, Ms O'Neill told Sky News: "Yes. I believe we're in a decade of opportunity." The UK Government maintains that a potential vote is far away, with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris telling the Commons last week he doesn't anticipate a united Ireland in his lifetime.

Mr Heaton-Harris, who is the minister responsible for deciding whether conditions for a referendum are met, told LBC: "They're definitely not met at this point in time, and I would suggest that actually top of the in tray for an incoming Executive has to be things like public sector pay, the health service, which needs massive transformation here, funding on education and a whole host of other things that actually all people in Northern Ireland from both communities truly care about."

Meanwhile DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson hit out at Ms O'Neill's comment, saying the public is "not interested in a divisive border poll".

Dave Burke