The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has announced it will seek to block a Sinn Fein motion calling for observer status for Northern Ireland Assembly members in the European Parliament. The motion is set to be debated in Stormont on Monday.
The Sinn Fein motion notes that 56% of voters in Northern Ireland voted to remain in the European Union during the 2016 Brexit referendum. It describes the current lack of representation as a 'democratic deficit', as Northern Ireland previously sent three MEPs to the European Parliament before the UK left the EU.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson confirmed his party will table a petition of concern against the motion. This mechanism requires at least 30 MLAs to sign it and demands cross-community support for a motion to pass, rather than a simple majority. The DUP will need backing from other parties to reach the 30-signature threshold.
Mr Robinson argued the motion deals with fundamental constitutional issues and that a cross-community vote is necessary under the Belfast and St Andrew's Agreements. He accused Sinn Fein of seeking to advance a republican agenda and said the motion would be 'a direct attack on Northern Ireland's position as an integral part of the United Kingdom'.
The DUP leader also warned that passing the motion would require the Assembly to write to the European Parliament endorsing EU observer status, despite unionist opposition. He claimed it would be seized upon by Brussels to sustain current arrangements under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The DUP is urging all unionist MLAs to support the petition of concern to defeat what Mr Robinson called a 'Sinn Fein ploy' aimed at breaking up the United Kingdom.
