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Keir Starmer after meeting Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly at Stormont Alamy Stock Photo

Keir Starmer 'committed to Good Friday Agreement' over possibility of Irish unity referendum

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald repeated her prediction that there would be a border poll by 2030.

LAST UPDATE | 8 Jul 2024

KEIR STARMER HAS said he is committed to the principles of the Good Friday Agreement when considering the possibility of a referendum on Irish unity.

His remarks came as Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald repeated her prediction that there would be a border poll by 2030, adding the issue of Irish reunification has “has never been more alive”.

The new UK prime minister met with First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly this morning at Stormont.

Starmer pledged to “hit the ground running” once he became PM, and vowed to visit the four Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in his first few days in Number 10 Downing Street.

He said he was seeking an “immediate reset” of the relationship between the Westminster Government and devolved nations as he announced his UK tour.

Sinn Féin emerged from last week’s UK General Election with the hattrick of becoming the Northern Ireland party with the largest representation at Westminster, in addition to already being the largest party in the Stormont Assembly and at local government.

Starmer arrived in the North last night having spent the day in Scotland where he met with Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John McSwinney. 

Starmer is due to conclude his quick tour of the UK with a visit to Wales later today.

The new UK PM began his first full week in office with an early morning visit to Stormont, ahead of a trip to Washington tomorrow for a Nato summit. 

O’Neill and Little-Pengelly greeted Starmer and new Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn before they held a meeting inside.

After half an hour with Stormont’s leaders, the new Prime Minister then moved on to Parliament Buildings, where he was greeted at the foot of the landmark steps by Assembly Speaker and DUP MLA Edwin Poots.

Starmer also hald talks with representatives from the main political parties.

left-to-right-first-minister-michelle-oneill-finance-minister-dr-caoimhe-archibald-and-deputy-first-minister-emma-little-pengelly-arrive-for-a-press-conference-in-the-great-hall-of-parliament-bui File image of First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

McDonald said she used her meeting to urge Starmer not to “bury his head in the sand” on the question of Irish unity.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement sets out that the current Northern Ireland Secretary can call a border poll when he or she believes a majority of people in the region support a change to the constitutional status.

Starmer has previously stated that the issue of a united Ireland is not on his horizon and at the weekend the new Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said he believed the prospect of a vote on Irish unity is “off into the distance”.

Asked about the potential of a border poll when he spoke to the media, Starmer said: “This is provided for by the Good Friday Agreement, the framework is set out and I am absolutely committed to the Good Friday Agreement.

“Today is a recommitment to that and to the approach and the role of the UK Government in that as the honest broker.

“But to reaffirm the importance of the principles of the Good Friday Agreement is part and parcel of why I am here today.”

McDonald said last week’s UK General Election result reflected again that “all is changed here and changing”.

She said: “We have reiterated our view to the Prime Minister that it is foolhardy to bury your head in the sand on this question.

“We have reminded him that the provision for referendums is at the very heart of the Good Friday Agreement.

“Yes, we need to see progress on this, yes we need if people talk about conditions for a referendum, let’s have clarity on what is meant by that.”

Asked if she was still aiming for a unity referendum to be held by 2030, the Sinn Féin president said: “Yes, yes it is.”

However, DUP leader Gavin Robinson laughed when the 2030 date was put to him.

He said: “We have heard plenty like that before and we’re still waiting.”

Robinson added: “Starmer is a unionist and somebody who has indicated a border poll is not on the horizon.

“Anybody who studies the outcome of the election on Thursday will see that the combined unionist vote still outstrips the combined nationalist vote.

“There is no mood for constitutional change, but more than that, there is no mood for engaging in this neverending, repetitive psychodrama when it is not where the people are.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris will meet with Starmer in Downing Street on 17 July. 

Meanwhile, new Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn was in Belfast and while he insisted that Casement Park would be re-built “one way or another”, he acknowledged it may not be completed in time for Euro 2028. 

northern-ireland-secretary-hilary-benn-during-a-visit-to-st-georges-market-in-belfast-following-the-labour-partys-victory-in-the-2024-general-election-picture-date-sunday-july-7-2024 Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn during a visit to St George's Market in Belfast yesterday. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Benn said Casement Park was “probably the most urgent issue” on his desk and added that the project is “very important for him”.

However, he said cost is an issue and added that he will get current estimated costs today. 

-With additional reporting from Press Association

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    Mute John D Doe
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    Jul 8th 2024, 9:53 AM

    Poor fella having to deal with those lot

    123
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    Mute james rowan
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    Jul 8th 2024, 10:00 AM

    @John D Doe: poor us having to read your chit,,,

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    Mute The Firestarter
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    Jul 8th 2024, 11:11 AM

    @John D Doe: Ha ha John, that did make me smile, as you’re not wrong there.

    44
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    Mute barry lyons
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    Jul 8th 2024, 1:35 PM

    Considering the amount of broken promises by the British .. seeing will be believing .

    The people of Ireland deserve better than skullduggery and propaganda. FG have never been interested in this .
    Remember we had varadkar and flannigan organising a Black and Tan commemoration

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Jul 8th 2024, 1:45 PM

    @barry lyons: What broken promises are you referring to? Anything in living memory?

    We had Varadkar and Flanagan overlooking the fact that the Black and Tans were technically members of the RIC, along with many decent Irish policemen who found themselves accidentally on ‘the wrong side of history’, and deserved to be commemorated alongside those who attacked them.

    33
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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Jul 8th 2024, 1:51 PM

    @barry lyons: It was an RIC commemoration.

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    Mute barry lyons
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    Jul 8th 2024, 2:28 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill which they wanted to commemorate the Black and Tans at . Let us not be revisionist about this :

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    Mute barry lyons
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    Jul 8th 2024, 2:29 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: Brendan , get yourself a secretary.

    25
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    Mute Liam23
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    Jul 8th 2024, 3:28 PM

    @barry lyons: Michelle O Neill and the Bomber Kelly attend the PSNI passing out ceremony. The PSNI used to be the RUC

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    Mute Jack B Quick
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    Jul 8th 2024, 11:19 PM

    @barry lyons: what broken promises? The gFA remains intact.

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    Mute Stevie Doran
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    Jul 8th 2024, 1:35 PM

    Will there be a referendum in the south to say no?

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Jul 8th 2024, 1:41 PM

    @Stevie Doran: Yes.

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    Mute Robert Halvey
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    Jul 8th 2024, 1:39 PM

    Do people not understand the good Friday agreement was voted for by 70 % of voters in the North and 97% of voters in the south, I can’t remember anything democratic resounding in my lifetime,

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    Mute Harry Callahan
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    Jul 8th 2024, 3:09 PM

    FFS, people are concerned about affordable housing, immigration and a myriad of everyday problems and the first thing she starts banging on about is border polls and unity. The SNP allowed their obsession with independence take precedence over actually governing, didn’t turn out too well for them?

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    Mute Mark Anthony Savage
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    Jul 8th 2024, 5:50 PM

    Border poll should be this year, just to get back at the BBC for that episode of Star Trek TNG I wasn’t allowed to watch as a kid.

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    Mute BarryH
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    Jul 8th 2024, 2:48 PM

    Am I missing something? I don’t see the Brits contributing to rebuilding any Irish sports stadiums or funding motorways to Donegal or Cavan. If it does happen and I hope that it does, what % are the Brits going to pay. A recent report said it would cost us 20billion for 20 years, total 400bn, does that include the EU’s contribution and will some of those monies be diverted to Ukraine.
    If you listen to UK politicians, after the Brexit and Stormont debacles, it will take many billions of investment to get N.I. running efficiently and effectively again and with the problems they are having, i don’t want to be paying for a brand new 5 bed house and getting a derelict 2 bed and still have to pay renovation costs.

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    Mute Phillip Smyth
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    Jul 8th 2024, 2:29 PM

    Bring on the green Gently Benn.

    7
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