Sturgeon holds ‘very robust’ talks over impact of Brexit
British Irish Council meets to discuss the fall-out after EU vote result
NICOLA Sturgeon has held “frank and very robust” talks as part of an emergency British Irish Council meeting convened in the wake of the Brexit vote.
The discussion in Cardiff was dominated by the question of a “hard border” between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, with political leaders from both countries warning it must not be allowed to happen.
Ireland’s Taoiseach Enda Kenny said it was vital there would not be a return to the days of “checkpoints, towers and customs”.
People and goods going between the two nations have been able to move freely, thanks to the Common Travel Area (CTA).
The open borders agreement, set up in the 1920s, has been strengthened by both Britain’s and Ireland’s European membership.
However, questions and concerns have been raised about what this means for the CTA and for both economies in the wake of the UK’s Leave referendum result.
Mr Kenny said: “I can tell you that hard borders would not be accepted in the south or the north.
“The best possible outcome for everyone is a UK that’s prosperous and has the closest possible links with the European Union. For us in Ireland, that means access to the single market.
“And it’s been made perfectly clear by the EU council that if that is to happen, then the respect has to be there for the freedom of (movement of) people.
“We have difficulties but I expect us to retain the Common Travel Area.”
Leaders and ministers from eight BIC members – the UK and Irish Governments, devolved administrations of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and the governments of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man – met in the Welsh Government’s Cathays Park headquarters.
Ms Sturgeon described the talks as very “frank and very robust” and said she would ensure Scotland, whose population voted to remain in the EU, played a full part in the Brexit discussions.
She added: “We are in unprecedented times. We have to be prepared to think about unprecedented solutions to the circumstances we found ourselves in.
“If there’s not a way of doing that within the UK, then it sends the message to people in Scotland that our voice doesn’t matter and can be ignored. The UK is a multinational state and if it’s not able to demonstrate that the voices of the different nations can be heard and listened to, then certain conclusions will be drawn from that.
“There’s an onus (on the UK Government) to demonstrate to the rest of the United Kingdom that solutions can be found. If that doesn’t happen, then for Scotland other options will have to be considered.”
Wales’s First Minister Carwyn Jones said he called an extraordinary meeting of the council at short notice because of the “tumultuous” political landscape after the EU referendum.
Also heralding the talks as the council’s most vital yet, was Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister and Sinn Fein MLA, Martin McGuinness.
The 66-year-old said he had “no faith” in a Tory government in Westminster to replace money lost by being out of the EU.
‘‘ The best possible outcome for everyone is a UK that’s prosperous and has the closest possible links with the European Union