Nicholl asks Belfast City Council to support Brexit People’s Vote

Alliance Belfast Councillor Kate Nicholl has called for a People’s Vote on Brexit, as she revealed she will be urging all parties to back a motion on the issue at Monday’s Council meeting. Following the initial meeting of the Council’s Brexit Committee in August, the motion is part of a larger push by Alliance to […]

Farry says UK Government advice over no deal Brexit farcical

Alliance Brexit spokesperson Stephen Farry MLA has said it is “farcical” for the UK Government to suggest cross-border businesses should contact the Irish Government for advice in the event of a no deal Brexit. Dr Farry was speaking after Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab made the statement as he released the first of a series of […]

McAllister: Brexit Committee focused on protecting Belfast’s future

Alliance Councillor Nuala McAllister has welcomed the inaugural meeting of Belfast City Council’s new Brexit Committee – a move secured by Alliance in March. Set to mitigate the impact of Brexit on Belfast and it citizens, the Committee made up of elected representatives will take the lead in the wake of continued political deadlock at […]

Prime Minister needs to stop portraying Brexit backstop as political and constitutional problem, says Farry

The Prime Minister needs to stop portraying the Brexit backstop as a political and constitutional problem, Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MLA has said. Dr Farry was speaking after taking part in an Alliance delegation meeting Theresa May, a discussion he described as “frank”. He added they had also raised a number of other issues […]

PM needs to close gap between rhetoric and reality

Alliance Party Deputy Leader, Stephen Farry MLA, has stressed that if the Prime Minister’s visit to Northern Ireland is to have any real effect, then she must explain in full how a hard border is to be avoided, in light of the red-lines adopted by the government to date. Stephen Farry said: “There is very […]

DUP actions in defeating Customs Union amendment illogical, says Farry

Alliance Brexit spokesperson Stephen Farry MLA has expressed frustration after MPs narrowly defeated a vote requiring the UK Government to seek a fresh Customs Union with the EU if Brexit trade talks are unsuccessful. Dr Farry said the DUP’s support of the amendment was “illogical”, given the party’s stated objective of avoiding new borders in […]

Parliament undermines Northern Ireland and Good Friday Agreement, says Farry

Alliance Brexit Spokesperson Stephen Farry MLA has said Parliament has undermined the interests of Northern Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement by passing amendments backed by hard Brexiteers. The amendment, backed by the Conservative European Research Group and the DUP, gives a legal guarantee there will be no post-Brexit customs border in the Irish Sea. […]

Rees-Mogg and DUP risk crashing UK economy with trade amendment, says Farry

Alliance Brexit spokesperson Stephen Farry MLA has said a proposed amendment to the Customs Bill by Jacob Rees-Mogg and supported by the DUP risks crashing the UK economy. Dr Farry said the amendment, which seeks to rule out any customs checks down the Irish Sea, would remove any prospect of a Withdrawal Agreement and essentially […]

Brexit White Paper is grand delusion, says Farry

Alliance Party Deputy Leader and Brexit Spokesperson, Stephen Farry MLA, has described proposals published today by the UK Government on future relations with the EU as unworkable. Mr Farry said he anticipated that large aspects will be rejected by the EU, adding it further draws attention to the lack of focus on how to deliver […]