Should ireland join the uk

Leo Varadkar: Brexit has undermined Good Friday agreement. Read more. Neale Richmond nealerichmond January 26, Chaotic Brexit could see uniformed border police, says Irish PM.

Reuse this content. A physical border also had the potential to be economically devastating given the interconnectedness of the two sides of the border with trade and people flowing freely.

After protracted negotiations, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed in principle to a customs border being located in the Irish sea as opposed to along the land border of the north and south of Ireland. This essentially unifies the island of Ireland for customs purposes. But politically, the region remains complicated. He added that he believed in working with all sides of the divide in Northern Ireland.

Both of the main political parties seem to have lost the confidence of the Irish electorate. While Brexit highlighted the complicated issue of identity in Northern Ireland, most experts say the path to Irish unity is too murky for it to happen any time soon. Given the decades and even centuries of divisions between the two communities in Northern Ireland, it is not clear where the Protestant Unionist communities would fit in a united Ireland.

Tensions are also rising in other parts of the U. K around Brexit, particularly with Scotland having also voted to remain in the E. If there was a referendum on Scottish independence, that would strengthen the case for Irish unity of some form. Because of Brexit and the vote by a majority in Northern Ireland to remain in the E. Experts say it could be more about retaining membership of the E. Tonge agrees that the future of Irish unity is likely to be more about the European political project.

Contact us at letters time. Could It Actually Happen? By Jennifer Duggan. Related Stories. Ireland Goes to the Polls on Saturday. Learn more and compare subscriptions content expands above. Full Terms and Conditions apply to all Subscriptions. Or, if you are already a subscriber Sign in. Other options. Close drawer menu Financial Times International Edition.

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