19/07/2017

Brexit Has Already Undermined Political Stability In NI - Report

Brexit has already undermined political stability in Northern Ireland, according to a House of Lords report.

The Lords EU Committee also said that disagreements over Brexit had contributed to the collapse of the Executive in NI.

The Committee said that the circumstances of NI will require "unique, flexible and imaginative solutions".

Lord Jay of Ewelme, a member of the committee and former head of the diplomatic service, said: "Brexit's impact on the future of the United Kingdom will be profound and unpredictable. At the moment the internal politics are pretty toxic, and we saw only last week the start of what could become a deep and bitter dispute on the role of the devolved institutions in passing the EU (Withdrawal) Bill.

"We can't afford this. The UK Government must respect the devolved institutions. It's not enough saying it's listening to them - it's actually got to take account of what they say and adjust its approach to accommodate their specific needs. Equally the devolved administrations must work with, not against, the UK Government to get the best Brexit for the whole of the UK."

(CD)

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