Ulster Unionist MEP, Jim Nicholson, has said that Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers needs to be honest about what leaving the EU would mean for the border.

Mr Nicholson said:

“With the date of the EU referendum fast approaching it is important that voters in Northern Ireland know what the consequences of leaving the EU would be.

“The Leave campaign has failed to address the implications of Brexit on Northern Ireland’s border and the Secretary of State, as an advocate for Leave, needs to clarify the situation.

“So far all we have heard from Ms Villiers on this matter is that the Common Travel Area (CTA) between the UK and the Republic of Ireland predates the European Union and would continue post-Brexit. 

“It is true that the CTA existed long before the European Union but we must remember the UK and the Republic of Ireland joined the EU at the same time, there has never been a time when one has been a member of the EU and the other not. If the UK votes to leave, there will be an unprecedented situation where the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland becomes the border between the UK and the EU.

“This has serious implications and the Leave camp is being disingenuous with voters when it says there will be minimal impact on our border.

“Firstly, CTA is the free movement of people between Britain and Ireland, not goods. In the event of Brexit customs checks will be required, especially if we leave the Single Market (as Leave has indicated). Customs checks exist between the EU and non-EU countries Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. Why should we expect the UK to be any different?

“Secondly, a key argument of the Leave campaign is to have tighter immigration controls. How then does an open border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland fit with this agenda?

“Without a hard border Northern Ireland would become the easiest part of the UK to enter. Do immigrants seeking access to the UK then come via Dublin to Newry and Belfast?

“So how much then, of the supposed savings from leaving the EU can we expect will be diverted to the PSNI and UK Border Force to police the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic?

“The alternative is that there will be customs checks at ports and airports in Great Britain for anyone coming from Northern Ireland but I don’t want to be treated as a second class citizen in my own country.

“This is not scaremongering or “project fear”. These are genuine concerns that the Brexit campaign has not addressed. The voters deserve to have these questions answered before they go to the polls. I challenge the Secretary of State to stop evading the issue and answer the questions directly.”