UK dismisses Ireland unity remark from US president

United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham's stance on "Irish unification" remains unchanged, after United States President Donald Trump remarked on Saturday that he would "love" to see a united Ireland.

Earlier when questioned by members of Parliament on Wednesday about the prospect of a border poll in Northern Ireland, Burnham had said: "I am not aware that there is majority public support for another referendum, and until that changes, there will not be one."

On Saturday, a spokesperson for Burnham's office confirmed the prime minister's position had not changed, after Trump told reporters in Dublin — following a meeting with Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin — that unification would happen eventually.

While sitting next to Martin on Saturday, Trump told reporters: "Well, I don't want to cause any problems, but I will tell you, I'd love to see it unified. It's going to happen eventually … I think it would be a fantastic thing. Now the UK will have something to say about it … but I think it would be a great thing."

Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK's Conservative Party, accused Trump of inflaming tensions in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, and called his comments "deeply unhelpful". She urged Burnham to defend the union clearly and confidently.

According to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, any referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the UK can only be held at the UK government's discretion.

The agreement ended three decades of violence known as The Troubles. This was a sectarian conflict that pitted mostly Catholic nationalist paramilitaries seeking a united Ireland against mostly Protestant unionist paramilitaries who wanted to remain part of the UK, with British troops also involved.

Gavin Robinson, who leads the Democratic Unionist Party, Northern Ireland's main unionist party, which supports Northern Ireland remaining part of the UK and opposes Irish unification, said Northern Ireland's future should be decided by its people, not by President Trump.

"President Trump knows better than most that elections matter," he said. "Northern Ireland's constitutional future will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland, not by commentary in London, Dublin, or Washington."

Polls indicate a solid majority in Northern Ireland still prefers to remain in the UK, though the margin has tightened since the UK's exit from the European Union, or Brexit, pushed Irish unity higher up the political agenda.

During Trump's two-day visit to Ireland, campaigners have urged Ireland's leadership to speak out against US military actions abroad and to defend the country's policy of military neutrality.

On Saturday, more than 10,000 people marched in Dublin in antiwar protests, with additional demonstrations planned near Trump's Doonbeg golf course, Reuters reported. Although Trump left the city as the march began, organizers said they aimed to signal opposition to his policies.

jonathan@mail.chinadailyuk.com