Brexit has made a united Ireland more likely according to a recent survey
According to a survey published last week, more people in Northern Ireland expect there to be a united Ireland in twenty years time.
The results, from the annual Life and Times Survey has found a definite move in public opinion in the Six Counties towards a united Ireland. Since 1998, the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey, carried out jointly by Queen’s University of Belfast and the Ulster University has recorded the attitudes, values and beliefs of local adults to a wide range of social policy issues. The latest survey has found that Brexit has been one of the elements in the movement of public opinion — Northern Ireland voted convincingly to stay in the EU, a vote that transcended the old political-religious divide in the region.
According to Politico, the latest findings — based on 1,405 people surveyed in late 2022 — has found that 45 per cent of people believe Northern Ireland will no longer be in the UK twenty years from now.
Only 38 per cent still think Northern Ireland will still be part of the UK. An even higher percentage – 63 per cent, up 5 points from two years ago – thinks Brexit has made unification more likely, independent of any time frame.
The survey was based on what the interviewees believed would happen; not what they would like to happen.
A majority of those surveyed still wanted to remain within the UK, although the gap between those willing to erase the border were a poll held tomorrow and those wishing to stay under British jurisdiction is tightening.
In 2015, before Brexit, public support in Northern Ireland for a united country was just 14 per cent. That had now risen to 35 per cent,
According to the Politico website, which has crunched through the survey, the results also show that the unexpected trade outcome from the Brexit deal continues to nudge Northern Irish attitudes away from the union with Britain.
Among key swing voters in any border poll — those who identify as neither British unionist nor Irish nationalist — the proportion of those saying Brexit has made them favour Irish unity has risen 5 points to 43 per cent in only the past year.
And on the key question of identity, those who consider themselves British and unionist has slid to a new low, Irish nationalist to a new high.
