‘A no-deal Brexit will probably lead to an increase in violence... that’s my big worry’
PEOPLE in Londonderry voiced concerns yesterday that a no-deal Brexit will be the inevitable outcome of the Prime Minister’s decision to suspend Parliament.
One, Liam Kelly, likened Boris Johnson to US President Donald Trump.
He said: “The majority of people in Northern Ireland voted to stay with the EU in the first place but our views were never taken into consideration.
“Boris Johnson is just another Donald Trump. I am concerned about what this will mean for us here, though, if it does land us with a no-deal Brexit.”
Marie Lavelle from Buncrana in Co Donegal said her biggest concern was a return to long traffic jams at the border. She said: “We come to Derry regularly but we have already decided that if there is a return to a hard border we won’t come back because we won’t be bothered sitting for hours the way we used to have to.
“From now on we will look to Letterkenny rather than Derry and I think a lot of people think the same as I do, but maybe the Derry people will still come to Donegal.”
Kevin Grocott is originally from London but made Derry his home 13 years ago.
He said: “I hope this won’t end in a no-deal Brexit because that will be hard on Northern Ireland, especially with the backstop. We want a soft border, we don’t want barriers to trade and I hope and pray that it won’t mean a return to violence.
“People here want to live in peace but all I am hoping for is the health service and medication won’t be affected. I hope and I am praying that there will be a deal, that is all I can do.”
Patricia McMenamin was back in Derry visiting family. She now lives in Sardinia.
She said: “I follow what is happening here intently, as do a lot of people in Italy, and at this stage people are fed up with England and are saying ‘let them go’. The idea of a no-deal Brexit will probably lead to increased violence and that is what I would be most worried about.
“I came home and voted for the Good Friday Agreement and I am now very worried about peace here and the border.
“I don’t think there is any way Boris Johnson can say he can control the border — there will be a border.”
Tommy Hurrell was not phased by the events in Westminster. He said: “I think this has been going on for so long, so I am not in the least concerned about what Boris Johnson did. “I am not in the least concerned about what effect it will have here.”