Thursday 17 October 2019
Green Party NI leader Clare Bailey MLA and Green Party Ireland Leader Eamon Ryan TD have commented on the draft Brexit deal between the UK and EU:
Responding to the announcement, Green Party NI Clare Bailey MLA said:
“Brexit has been bad for the people of these islands and will continue to cause detriment. I am clear that I want to remain in the EU along with the majority of people of Northern Ireland.
“The Brexit negotiations have been ongoing for three years and have represented nothing more than a salvage operation. The backstop represented the least damaging outcome of any Brexit negotiations.
“It’s clear that this latest deal should be put back to the people of the UK via a People’s Vote. Furthermore, the proposal around a vote in a defunct Stormont Assembly is paper thin. I’d rather see a say for the people of Northern Ireland as a whole.
“Let’s cut across the chaos at Westminster and inertia at Stormont and provide a say to the people who will be subject to this deal.”
Green Party Ireland Leader Eamon Ryan added:
“We must acknowledge the hard work of negotiators in getting the deal to this point but the final outcome is still very unclear.
“This deal has to still be ratified by both the UK and European Parliaments. The Green European Free Alliance believe any deal should be put to the vote of the British people, who should have the final say as to whether they accept it and leave on a negotiated basis or ultimately choose to stay.
“Even if the deal is passed this will still be a very complicated and contested process. In any future trade deal we must insure that the UK does not attempt to undermine the social and environmental standards that the Union protects.”
ENDS
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