NORTHERN Ireland should be allowed to remain part of the European Union and its people should identify as ‘Irish’ post-Brexit, a Labour frontbencher has claimed.
Owen Smith, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, told an event at the Labour Conference in Brighton that Northern Ireland should be given a special EU status once Britain departs the EU.
Mr Smith said that the North’s “unique circumstances” should be protected with a “unique and imaginative” solution to issues such as the border.
He told the event: “What I am increasingly convinced of myself is we will need . . . to be much more imaginative and much more concrete in what we offer.
“Does it mean Northern Ireland needs to remain within the EU and as part of Britain, and with people being able to identify within Northern Ireland as Irish?
“I think that is the space we need to be in.”
The Pontypridd MP added: “Crucially I think we will need to accept that the unique circumstances that gave rise to the Good Friday agreement, and the unique way that the Good Friday agreement was framed, will need to be reflected in an equally unique and imaginative solution for Northern Ireland.
“I do not see another solution that allows for a different outcome.”
The British Government and its DUP allies have made it clear they are opposed to a special status for Northern Ireland post-Brexit.
Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly warned republicans that she will not approve a unique EU arrangement for the North.
The UK’s recently published position paper on Ireland ruled out treating the North as a separate entity and suggested that no new technological or physical monitoring will be necessary on the Irish border.
Mr Smith said he had not yet “worked out” how a special arrangement for Northern Ireland effectively maintaining its EU membership would work.
“I’m not entirely sure how we’re going to frame that,” he said.
“There have been various suggestions about Northern Ireland remaining in some form of the single market and some form of the customs union.
“I think one of the things that is beholden on the British government is not to rule out any of those imaginative solutions.”
Last night, Mr Smith’s comments on Northern Ireland were dismissed by the DUP.
“This solution was stillborn. Everyone has moved on except Sinn Féin,” Ian Paisley Jr said.
“Owen should use his influence to bring them back out of the woods.”
