Support for Protocol more than doubles over year, survey shows; Growing majority think Brexit makes united Ireland more likely
Public support for the Northern Ireland Protocol has more than
doubled from a year ago, a new survey showed, as the UK and EU continue a
heated dispute over the part of the Brexit treaty dealing with the
region.
There has been a “significant shift towards support for
the Protocol,” with 33% saying it is “on balance a good thing,” compared
to 16% in 2020, authors led by Queen’s University Belfast Professor
Katy Hayward wrote in a research report. Underscoring the polarization
of opinion, 21% said it was on balance a “bad thing,” up from 18% in
2020 and 33% regarded it as a “mixed bag,” according to the Northern
Ireland Life and Times survey.
The survey findings come as the UK threatens to
override parts of the Brexit deal amid claims trading arrangements for
Northern Ireland aren’t working. The Democratic Unionist Party is
refusing to join the region’s devolved government until the Protocol is
replaced. A May 5 election saw a nationalist party become the biggest for the first time and was regarded as a success for parties favoring the Protocol.
UK to Start Legislating Against Brexit Deal Within Three Weeks
Meanwhile
the fall-out from Brexit has continued to boost expectations Northern
Ireland will unite with the Republic to the south. Of those surveyed,
63% said Brexit has made it more likely in the poll of 1,397 people
conducted October to December 2021, up 5 points from 2020.
While
almost half support Northern Ireland remaining in the UK long term,
there’s been a 6 point drop from 2020 while support for a united Ireland
as a long-term policy rose 4 points. About a third said they would vote
for a united Ireland tomorrow and 48% would vote against it, though
there was a similar shift toward unity from the last survey...
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