News

DUP MLA defends Kate Hoey in Irish border row

Labour MP Kate Hoey and DUP assembly member Christopher Stalford
Labour MP Kate Hoey and DUP assembly member Christopher Stalford Labour MP Kate Hoey and DUP assembly member Christopher Stalford

A DUP assembly member has defended Labour MP Kate Hoey for saying the Republic will have to pay for a border with Northern Ireland if the UK leaves the European Union without a deal.

The Brexit-backing MP faced criticism after insisting "we won't be putting up the border" and "they'll have to pay for it" in a BBC Radio 4 interview on Monday.

The SDLP's Claire Hanna said on Twitter: "Kate Hoey has now gone full Trump – build the wall and Mexico/Ireland will pay for it. The DUP's 11th MP."

But DUP South Belfast MLA Christopher Stalford responded in defence of Ms Hoey's comments.

"If they impose a border as part of their EU membership they should pay for it. UK aren't the people doing so," he tweeted.

On Monday, Ms Hoey said: "We're not the ones who are going to be putting up the physical border.

"If it ends up with a no deal we won't be putting up the border – they'll have to pay for it, because it doesn't need to happen."

Former secretary of state Peter Hain was among those who compared Ms Hoey's comments to US president Donald Trump – who has pledged to build a wall on the border with Mexico, which he claims will also pay for it to be built.

Mr Hain said: "With her suggestion that Ireland will have to pay for any border, Kate Hoey seems to have been taking diplomacy lessons from Donald Trump.

"It really is astonishing how much damage Brexit is already doing to our country's reputation. Even our closest friends, Ireland, are now becoming the target of unhinged attacks from hard Brexit cheerleaders."