STORY
The UK Government has said its position on Irish unity remains unchanged after US President Donald Trump expressed support for a united Ireland during a visit to Dublin. A Downing Street spokesperson reaffirmed that the Government does not currently believe there is sufficient evidence of public support in Northern Ireland to justify holding a border poll.
Under the Belfast Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Secretary of State must call a referendum if it appears likely that a majority of voters in Northern Ireland would support joining a united Ireland. The decision about whether that legal threshold has been reached rests with the UK Government rather than the Irish or US Governments.
Trump said he would “love” to see a united Ireland and believed it would eventually happen, but his comments do not alter the constitutional process. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has previously said a referendum should not be held unless clear evidence emerges that public opinion has shifted. Assessments of that support remain contested and individual opinion polls do not automatically trigger a vote.