EU institutions must hold firm on backstop – Matt Carthy MEP
Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy spoke on the issue of the Brexit backstop this morning, Tuesday, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Addressing assembled MEPs, and representatives of the Council and the Commission, the Midlands North-West MEP said: “Once again the European Council will meet to respond to the British government’s shambolic Brexit process.
“And, once again, the Council must remain resolute that the Irish backstop cannot be re-negotiated.
“Brexit, any Brexit, will be bad for Ireland, north and south.
“The backstop is a mechanism to reduce the damage – nothing more.
“But, the clear lesson learned from this process, is one that many of us already knew – that British leaders do not give a damn about any part of Ireland, including the part in which they hold jurisdiction.
“Evidence of this was seen once more in the recent comments from a Tory MP that Britain should threaten Ireland with food shortages – another attempt to starve us once again?
“So, the Commons vote can be postponed but the backstop cannot be altered. We need the continued support of this House to ensure that is the case.
“And we will need the support of this House to move towards the inevitable outworking of the lesson that has been learned from the Brexit process.
“As more and more people across Ireland recognise that Irish Unity is the ultimate response to British political failures, we will seek the support of the EU to help us deliver that solution.” ENDS
