Conservatives must heed Northern Ireland’s warnings and change course on its ill-conceived Brexit

Research by Queen’s University Belfast shows that 61% of people in Northern Ireland want the UK as a whole to stay in the Single Market and the Customs Union. This comes amid concern that North-South border checks could be imposed as a result of Brexit.  The research also found that if there was a referendum on EU membership today, 69% of Northern Irish people would vote to remain against 56% at the time of the poll in 2016.  Responding, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said:  “This research shows there are deep fears in Northern Ireland that this messy, ill-conceived Conservative Brexit will result in a hard border that could quickly deteriorate into violence.  “Theresa May and her Brexiter ideologues must heed these warnings and pursue a safe deal for Ireland, which means staying in the Single Market and the Customs Union.  ”The surge of people in Northern Ireland who would now vote to remain in the EU also provides yet more evidence that there must be a vote on the final deal that provides the option of an exit from Brexit - particularly if that deal is a perilous one for Ireland.”