LONDON: Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald warned Thursday that Brexit was “a clear and imminent threat” to the island of Ireland and was incompatible with Northern Ireland’s two decades-old peace accord.
“The reality is that Brexit and the Good Friday Agreement are not compatible,” the Irish republican leader said, referencing the landmark 1998 accord which devolved government to the British province and ended several decades of deadly violence.
“Brexit, whether it is hard or soft, represents a clear and imminent threat to the economic, social and the political functioning of Ireland in its totality,” she added.
McDonald, speaking to reporters during her first visit to Britain since taking over from veteran Republican leader Gerry Adams earlier this month, criticized recent comments by several British lawmakers suggesting the agreement should be revisited.
Northern Ireland has been without a devolved government for more than a year after Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) pulled out of a joint executive amid political disagreements.
Months of talks, including with British Prime Minister Theresa May this week, have so far failed to bridge their differences.
McDonald said those now coming out against the Good Friday Agreement were pursuing “their own interests” of a hard Brexit at all costs.
“That’s a deeply shocking and, in our view, deeply deeply irresponsible position for anybody to take,” she said.
McDonald warned the re-introduction of any kind of border on the Irish island must be avoided.
“There cannot be a border on the island of Ireland,” she said.
“To impose such a measure would be catastrophic in terms of our commerce, in terms of our access to services... in terms of how people live their day to day lives.”
McDonald said Northern Ireland instead should receive special designation within any future relationship agreement Britain strikes with the EU — something May has repeatedly ruled out.
Sinn Fein declares Brexit a ‘clear and imminent threat’ to Ireland
Sinn Fein declares Brexit a ‘clear and imminent threat’ to Ireland
Central African Republic president seeks third term in election
- Since Touadera was first elected in 2016, in the middle of a civil war, the CAR has seen unrest ease despite feuds between armed groups and the government in some regions
BANGUI: Voters in the Central African Republic cast their ballots for a new president on Sunday, with incumbent Faustin-Archange Touadera widely expected to win a third term after touting his success in steadying a nation long plagued by conflict.
Around 2.3 million people are eligible to vote, with parliamentary, municipal and regional polls taking place at the same time.
Escorted by members of the presidential guard, Touadera arrived at a high school to cast his own ballot.
He urged people to vote “to allow our country to develop, to allow our country to regain peace and security.”
“It’s a very important issue,” Touadera, 68, told reporters.
Streets in the capital Bangui were quiet, with armored vehicles of the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA deployed at road junctions.
Heavy security was posted outside voting stations, and helicopters flew overhead at a school near where Touadera was voting, while a long queue had formed. Since Touadera was first elected in 2016, in the middle of a civil war, the CAR has seen unrest ease despite feuds between armed groups and the government in some regions.
“We need a leader elected by the people, not someone who takes power by force,” teacher Julie Odjoubi, 44, said, her left thumb stained with purple ink to show she had voted.
Touadera is in pole position to win in a seven-strong field, after a new constitution was adopted in 2023.
