DUP detached from reality on Brexit says Hazzard
South Down Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard has said the DUP’s commitment to a “delusional” Brexit agenda shows their detachment from the reality on the ground in the North.
PM Theresa May has hit a brick wall in relation to trying to get her version of Brexit through the Commons when no version at the moment commands a majority leaving Westminster in an unprecedented political shambles as back benchers succeeded in a motion to control the business agenda in the Commons.
The PM has indicated to the House that she will step down as PM if and when her version of Brexit is ratified, but this leaves Westminster in a turmoil as there is no clear majority for and form of Brexit and there is still a danger of the UK crashing out without a deal with the EU and not having revoked Article 50 agreed by the UK Parliament which is the agreement made with the EU to proceed with a Brexit.
The DUP’s fundamental fear is the future of the Union. They are on record as saying it could be threatened if a Brexit leads to the slippery slope of the break-up of the Union, for example, by creating a situation where a pro-EU Scotland votes for independence and also in Northern Ireland a Border Poll too could be called for to unite the North with the South of Ireland.
But everything at the moment is up in the air and political commentators are waiting to see what direction Brexit will finally take – will it be scrapped, will it end up under World Trade Organisation rules, will there be a Norway Plus deal…. who knows? The clock is ticking in the Commons. And the MP’s there generally fear a General Election as the two main parties – the Tories and Labour – are internally split over Brexit.
Speaking from Westminster, the South Down MP said: “Tonight, amid all the chaos in the British parliament with the British Prime Minister announcing her intention to resign, the DUP once again showed just how detached from reality they actually are.
“The DUP are continuing to ignore the voices of the business sector, farmers, community organisations and a multitude of others who are raising genuine fears about the impact of a crash-out Brexit.
“They are now even ignoring their hardline Brexiteers friends in the Tory party in their pursuit of a delusional, reckless Brexit.
“They need to stop, take stock, get a grip on reality and accept the fact that the Withdrawal Agreement is the only way to avoid a catastrophic crash-out.”
