Labour’s Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary sparked anger tonight, suggesting the party wouldn’t fight for Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom.
Louise Haigh stated that her party should be ‘neutral’ in any Irish referendum and not campaign for unionists if it is in Government.
The opposition frontbencher told GB News that while Labour is a unionist party, it was an ‘important principle’ that Britain ‘should not have any strategic or selfish economic interest’ in the future of the country.
The comments put her at odds with her party leader Keir Starmer, who in July said he would vote for against reunification, saying: ‘I believe in the United Kingdom’.
The Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson is due to meet Labour leader Keir Starmer in London tonight.
Ahead of the meeting DUP MP Carla Lockhart said: ‘Less than six months ago Sir Keir Starmer was clear that he would campaign for Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom in any future border poll.
‘The comments of Louise Haigh not only contradict these but demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of the principle of consent.’
Louise Haigh said that if her party was in Government it should remain ‘neutral’ in any referendum on Irish reunification instead of campaigning on behalf of unionists.
GB News received a statement from the frontbencher of Labour saying that although Labour is a party that supports unionism, it was an important principle’ that Britain ’should not have any selfish or strategic economic interests in the future’.
DUP MP Carla Lockhart said: ‘Less than six months ago Sir Keir Starmer was clear that he would campaign for Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom in any future border poll. “The remarks of Louise Haigh are not only contrary to these, but also demonstrate fundamental misunderstandings of the principle consent.”
At the moment, there are no plans to vote on Irish unification. The Good Friday Agreement allows the Secretary of Northern Ireland to call one anytime and is required to do so if the majority supports reunification.
To allow it to proceed, however, Ireland and Northern Ireland must approve the reunification by separate votes.
There is currently majority support for Northern Ireland remaining in the United Kingdom.
Interview with GB News: Ms Haigh stated that the principle of consent was still intact.
“It is up to Northern Ireland’s people to make their own decisions about their future constitutional arrangements. However, polls continue suggesting that there is a solid majority who would prefer the United Kingdom to remain.
“It is not my job as a persuader to the union,” was an important principle which led to the Good Friday Agreement.
“One of the most important principles of British sovereignty was to not be interested in any economic or strategic interest in Northern Ireland’s constitutional status. Northern Ireland’s people will decide the future of their constitution.
Further pressing her, she said: “We are a Unionist Party in the Labour Party but if it is a poll at the border we should be neutral. I believe that’s an important principle.”
According to a Tory source, “Labour’s Unionist identity problem has never been fixed. Their sister party is the SDLP, but their shadow NI Secretary insists that it’s not her role as a ”persuader of the Union’. It’s hard to imagine how Labour can pretend to be a Unionist party.
Sir Keir said to BBC in July that he would stand’very strongly on the side Unionists’ and argue for Northern Ireland staying within the UK, even though he was the prime minister.
‘I respect the principle that the decision, in the end, is for the people of the island of Ireland,’ he said.
“I believe strongly in the United Kingdom as a leader of Labour Party and I would love to present the case for the United Kingdom strongly.