Labour’s Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary has insisted her Party would refuse to campaign for the union in the event of a referendum on Northern Ireland’s future within the UK.
The Scottish Conservatives are today calling on Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to reject Louise Haigh’s comments, amid growing signs of Labour undermining the union across the UK.
In an interview on GB News, Ms Haigh - when quizzed on her Party’s position in a referendum on a unified Ireland – said: “If there is a border poll then we should remain neutral. I think that’s an important principle.”
Her admission comes in the wake of the Labour Party signing a three-year “Cooperation Agreement” with nationalists Plaid Cymru in the Welsh Parliament and with a backbench Labour MSP who supports a second referendum in Scotland endorsing the agreement.
Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Minister for the Constitution, Donald Cameron MSP said: “This is an astonishing position for a supposedly pro-UK party to take – to remain neutral on a vote that would see the break-up of the Union.
“Sadly, it’s typical, though, as Labour’s backing for the Union in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland is lukewarm at best.
“Only the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, and our colleagues across the UK, can be trusted to stand firmly against the break-up of the UK.
“Labour is willing to see Northern Ireland leave the UK without a fight, is in effective coalition with the Welsh nationalists in Cardiff and refuses to stand up to the SNP on the constitution in Scotland, where they run six councils in coalition with them.
“Anas Sarwar must reject Louise Haigh’s comments and assure voters he supports Northern Ireland’s and Scotland’s continued place in the UK no matter the circumstances.”
Notes
Transcript of GB News interview:
Darren McCaffrey: So do you think that if there was a referendum on Northern Ireland’s future the British Government or British political parties shouldn’t interfere in that, shouldn’t be involved in it?
Louise Haigh: I would, yes I would. I would say that, you know, we’re a unionist party in the Labour party but if there is a border poll then we should remain neutral. I think that’s an important principle. Look, I believe in the Union, I believe we’re stronger together, I believe in the principles and values that underpin our Union but it is a crucial element that has sustained peace is the principle of consent that underpins the Good Friday Agreement.
The Welsh Labour-Plaid Cymru deal will last three years and implement defined policies in which the parties have ‘common interests to implement progressive solutions’. The Co-operation Agreement states: ‘The Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru will work together over the coming three years on the defined policy commitments listed in this document – policies in which we have common interests to implement progressive solutions’. (Welsh Government, The Co-Operation Agreement, 22 November 2021, link).
Plaid Cymru’s manifesto stated that in government they would hold an independence referendum for Wales by 2026. Their manifesto stated: ‘a Plaid Cymru Government will hold a referendum on independence by 2026’. (Plaid Cymru, Manifesto 2021, April 2021, link).
Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba who supports a second referendum in Scotland, praised the deal. Villlalba quoted a tweet announcing the deal by saying ‘Bravo Comrades!’. Villalba previously stated: ‘Maximum devolution from Westminster will not just happen. If we're truly not content with the status quo, hadn't we better call for a referendum to put our alternative to the people?’ (Twitter, Mercedes Villalba, 20 January 2021, link; Twitter, Mercedes Villalba, 22 November 2021, link).