THE SECRETARY of state remained tight-lipped yesterday when quizzed on reports that she'd warned fellow cabinet members that a border poll would be far more likely with a no deal Brexit.
Karen Bradley declined to comment on the reports during a visit to Belfast but said she was aware of her statutory obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, adding that the north's constitutional status was "a matter for the people of Northern Ireland".
Earlier this week the Politics Home website reported that Mrs Bradley had issued the warning at Tuesday's meeting of the cabinet.
The report quoted one cabinet source saying: "The view was that a border poll in Northern Ireland was all-but inevitable if there is a no-deal Brexit because Sinn Féin would demand it straight away – the secretary of state would have no choice but to call one."
Under the terms of the 1998 Good FridayAgreement, the incumbent secretary of state is obliged to call a border poll if there is evidence of a change in public opinion in Northern Ireland in favour of Irish reunification.
When Mrs Bradley was asked whether no-deal would make a border poll more likely, she told the Press Association: "I've said that I believe the best thing for the United Kingdom, the whole United Kingdom and the union of the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union together as one UK with a deal.
"That is the best thing for the United Kingdom and that is what I am focused on delivering."
Asked if a no-deal Brexit would lead her to review whether the conditions for a poll had been met under her statutory obligations, she said: "I know what my obligations are and I am well aware of them.
"The point here is, though, we have a way of leaving the European Union in an orderly way that is good for the United Kingdom and the union – I want to see us deliver on that.
"I want to see members of parliament vote for the withdrawal agreement, so we can leave as one United Kingdom in a way that is good for the whole United Kingdom."
DUP leader Arlene Foster said the greatest threat to the union was the backstop within the current withdrawal agreement which Mrs Bradley was "such an enthusiastic advocate for".
"Resorting to such obvious scaremongering only serves to highlight how threadbare the government’s arguments are," the former first minister said.
"Instead of the cast-iron guarantees promised when the vote was delayed in December we are instead given just another round of project fear."
