Unity Referendum '˜must form part of Brexit talks' - MLA

Mr. McCartney was responding to comments made by British Secretary of State James Brokenshire on a unity referendum.

The new Secretary of State has said there is no need for a border poll.

Mr. Brokenshire was speaking during his first Northern Ireland Questions sessions in the House of Parliament in London.

Mr. McCartney said that whether the north opted to join the south was not his call to make.

He said: “James Brokenshire represents no one in Ireland.

“The Tory party has no mandate in the north and in the last election they received only 2,554 votes here.

“With the prospect of the North being dragged out of the EU by England, more and more people are open to the idea of exploring new relationships on this island in the context of remaining in the EU.”

Mr. McCartney said his party are now urging Taoiseach Enda Kenny to push ahead with an island-wide dialogue to discuss how the remain vote in the North can be respected.

“The proposal for a referendum on Irish unity needs to be part of that dialogue and on the agenda of any negotiations between the British and Irish governments and the EU,” he said.