Ulster Unionist East Belfast candidate, Councillor Hazel Legge, has called on Alliance and the Greens to drop their proposal for a second EU referendum following upcoming negotiations.
Mrs Legge said:
“Calls by Alliance and the Greens for a second EU referendum after the Brexit negotiations are a thinly veiled attempt to reverse the democratic decision taken by the people of the United Kingdom in the referendum last year.
“Why would the EU attempt to negotiate fair terms with the UK if they thought that there was any possibility of a second referendum happening?
“Does anybody seriously believe that knowing another referendum would follow the negotiations, the EU would agree to any decent deal for the UK? Of course not. The call for a second referendum is foolish, reckless and divisive.
“Northern Ireland needs the best deal possible from the Brexit negotiations, not a prolonged struggle to try and reverse a democratic decision. Alliance is backed by a group who seek to overturn the decision to leave. This call for a second vote causes further uncertainty and should be rejected.
“The Union and our economy are under enough pressure without this siren call for another vote. I call upon Alliance and the Greens to withdraw it immediately.”