Burnham sparks political row as he says Irish unity poll ‘off the table’

**UK Prime Minister’s Remarks on Irish Unity Referendum Prompt Political Reactions**

*Belfast, 1 May 2024* – During his first visit to Northern Ireland since taking office, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that a referendum on Irish unity is “off the table,” sparking a dispute with Irish nationalist politicians while receiving approval from unionist leaders.

Burnham, who arrived in Belfast on Thursday, told reporters that his trip was “to listen” but that certain issues would not be pursued. “I will take a collaborative approach but some issues will be off the table, and that is one issue that will be off the table,” he said. He added that the divisions created by past referendums – the 2016 Brexit vote and the 2014 Scottish independence referendum – “take a long time to heal” and that the government should focus on immediate concerns such as the cost‑of‑living crisis and public‑service funding.

Under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland may call a border poll if it appears likely that a majority would support Irish unification. The agreement also requires a majority vote in the Republic of Ireland for any constitutional change. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant has previously indicated that a border poll is “not top of my list of priorities.”

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald responded strongly, stating that no British prime minister has the authority to “high‑handedly remove” the provision for a unity referendum contained in the Good Friday Agreement. “At the core of our discussion with him has been the Good Friday Agreement and the provision for a referendum on Irish unity,” McDonald told reporters after her meeting with Burnburn. “We have made it very clear … that the right to a referendum … is a commitment entered into and a matter of international law, and he simply does not have the right to dismiss or disregard that commitment.”

McDonald added that the Good Friday Agreement was “democratically sanctioned and supported right across this island” and that the British government has responsibilities arising from it. She said Burnburn had “listened” and “accepted the veracity of our position,” though she warned that any attempt to “slow‑pedal or backpedal” on the issue would be “foolish and irresponsible.”

Unionist leader Gavin Robinson of the Democratic Unionist Party welcomed Burnburn’s comments. “It’s particularly encouraging to hear his comments today, putting to bed the nonsense that has been mentioned over many months now around a border poll,” Robinson said. He recalled expressing the Secretary of State’s position on the matter in July at Hillsborough Castle and praised the prime minister for “putting that issue beyond doubt.”

The remarks come amid ongoing discussions about the political and economic future of Northern Ireland, with Burnburn emphasizing the need to address immediate challenges while acknowledging the sensitivities surrounding constitutional questions. No formal decision has been made to alter the mechanisms for a potential border poll, and the Good Friday Agreement remains the governing framework for any future referendum on Irish unity.

Article and image source: breakingnews.ie