British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has maintained his position against holding another referendum on Irish unification unless there is clear majority public support.
Burnham’s statement followed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said during his visit to Dublin that he would “love” to see a united Ireland and predicted that unification would eventually happen.
President Trump made the comments after meeting Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, renewing attention on the long-running constitutional question concerning Northern Ireland.
However, Burnham’s position remains unchanged. Responding to lawmakers in Parliament on Wednesday about the possibility of a border poll in Northern Ireland, he said: “I am not aware that there is majority public support for another referendum, and until that changes, there will not be one.”
A spokesperson for Burnham’s office confirmed on Saturday that the Prime minister’s remarks still stood, signalling that Trump’s comments had not changed the British government’s position on a potential referendum.
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Under the current approach, any future vote on Northern Ireland’s constitutional status would depend on evidence of majority support for such a poll.
Reuters
