UK pushes back on Trump's Irish unification comments

Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government on Saturday rejected US President Donald Trump's call for Irish unification, insisting that Northern Ireland lacks the public support required to trigger a referendum on leaving the United Kingdom.

Trump backs Irish unity

Speaking alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in Dublin, Trump said he would “love” to see a united Ireland and suggested the change was inevitable. “I don't want to cause any problems, but I will tell you, I'd love to see it unified,” he said. “I think it would be a great feather in everybody's cap if that happened. You know what? The way I look at it, it's going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now.”

Downing Street cites peace deal

A Downing Street spokesperson indicated that Burnham maintains the 1998 Good Friday Agreement's conditions for a border poll have not been satisfied, according to The Guardian. The spokesperson noted that the peace accord permits a referendum only when evidence suggests a majority would favor leaving the UK to join a united Ireland. Trump acknowledged that London would have a say in any decision but maintained that unification would be a “fantastic” development.

Under the terms of the 1998 agreement, the UK government is obligated to hold a border poll if there appears to be majority support for a united Ireland in Northern Ireland. Successive opinion polls have indicated that most voters in the territory wish to remain part of the United Kingdom, though nationalist parties continue to advocate for unification.