DUP Urged To Abandon 'Reckless' Brexit Stance

The latest Brexit warnings from the business community in Northern Ireland are further evidence of the catastrophic polices of the Conservatives and the DUP, a Sinn Fein MP has warned.

Chris Hazzard's comments follow a statement from leading retail bodies in Ireland and Britain that warned against a no-deal Brexit, saying it would squeeze household budgets and reduce the availability of some goods.

In addition, the management of Warrenpoint Harbour in County Down also warned today, Thursday 21, that businesses are stockpiling raw materials due to the continuing Brexit uncertainty.

Mr Hazzard, an MP for south Down, said the grave warnings should not be ignored.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Theresa May continues to seek changes to the backstop mechanism in the Withdrawal Agreement, a position supported by the Democratic Unionists.

"The DUP should listen to business, review their approach and drop their reckless opposition to the backstop," Mr Hazzard explained.

"The warnings from Warrenpoint Harbour and some of the biggest retail organisations in these islands are just the latest in a long line of dire predictions about the impact of Brexit. The CBI recently warned that a no-deal Brexit would cost the North's economy almost £5billion a year while the Bank of England predicts an almost ten per cent economic contraction- that's worse than the banking crisis recession.

"Our economy simply could not sustain damage on that scale but, despite this, the DUP and the hard-right of the Tory Party continue to pursue a reckless agenda which is inexorably leading toward a no-deal Brexit."



(JG)