BCAB to hold Brexit demonstrations

The demonstrations will be held at key points along the border to coincide with the day the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.

The local protests will take place at Bridgend and at Lifford at 9.30pm on Friday.

The Brexit Bill was passed by both the House of Commons and House of Lords and received Royal Assent last week. The European Union will hold a vote tomorrow to ratify the bill.

The UK will formally leave the EU on Friday and it will then go into a transition period that is scheduled to end on December 31 this year. During this time the UK will remain as part of the customs union and single market, but will not be part of the political institutions. There is still a risk of no deal at the end of this transition period.

In the North, 56 per cent of people voted to remain in the EU.

A spokesperson for Border Communities Against Brexit said: “On January 31, the North of Ireland will be dragged out of the European Union against its will. Brexit does not have the support of the people in the North of Ireland. Whilst the current deal means that there will be no hard infrastructure at the border, many threats and serious challenges remain.

“Brexit in any form is bad for citizens, our economy, our Peace and our future.”

The spokesperson added that Brexit will mean that people’s ‘rights and protections will be reduced’.

“Opportunities for our young people will disappear and essential funding streams will be lost, including payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).”

They added that a hard border would result ‘in a serious threat to our Peace Process and cause 100,000 jobs to be lost on this island’.

The lobby group has called on the British Government to ‘meet their obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, including the continued incorporation into law of the European Convention on Human Rights’.

“The interests of Ireland and the rights of citizens in the North must be front and centre of negotiations on the future relationship between the EU and Britain.”

They said that the lobbying and activity of Border Communities Against Brexit helped to ensure that there will be no hard border in Ireland.

“The work of BCAB has included public meetings in border communities, widespread media engagement and engagement with political representatives at local, national, EU level and America.

“Ireland’s border counties political representatives need to keep up the pressure to ensure that the Irish Government continues to stand up for our interests and those of all the people in the North.”

The spokesperson added that BCAB will closely monitor the future trade talks and ensure that adequate protections are included.

The group has urged as many people as possible to attend their local protest. For further details visit Border Communities Against Brexit Facebook page.