United Kingdom’s Withdrawal from the European Union

Ian Paisley Excerpts

Friday 29th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Sir William Cash]

I of course want to leave the European Union, but the problem with the withdrawal agreement is that it does not, I assert, represent Brexit, in terms of repealing the 1972 Act. As I was saying, that is an Act of Parliament not only of Great Britain but of Northern Ireland. The constitutional status of Northern Ireland is therefore at stake, with respect to the question of the Northern Ireland backstop. There is no doubt about that.

[Ian Paisley (North Antrim) (DUP)]

Is it not the case that the withdrawal agreement would cause irreversible and lasting damage to Northern Ireland and our precious Union?

[Sir William Cash]

I heard the Prime Minister repeatedly mention our precious Union. The Northern Ireland backstop drives a coach and horses through the precious Union––that is the problem. As I understand it, that is precisely why the Democratic Unionist party will vote against the withdrawal agreement today—because it puts the Union at risk.