The DUP would be taking a big gamble defying Northern Ireland’s farmers on Brexit
Problems building on the DUP's home patch over its approach to TMay's Brexit deal
— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) November 17, 2018
The assumption that the DUP will automatically oppose TMay’s Brexit deal might not be the case as pressure is building up amongst the Province’s farmers many of whom support the party.
The Observer is reporting that the powerful Northern Ireland Farmer’s Union has told Arlene Foster’s party that its 10 Westminster MPs should vote for the deal. The report goes on:
“The DUP has threatened to pull the plug on May and vote against the withdrawal agreement on the grounds it would create a “vassal state” and break up the UK.
But the UFU chief executive, Wesley Aston, told BBC Radio Ulster: “We want to make sure we avoid a no-deal situation. No deal for Northern Ireland agri-food and farming in particular would be absolutely disastrous and we have made that patently clear over this last while.”
His comments follow those from the UFU’s Ivor Ferguson that the “sheep industry would be finished” if there was no deal.”
This basically totally undermines the DUP rhetoric and will make it much harder for it to pursue their stated course.
My guess is that we’ll see a lot of pressure like this from all sorts of bodies throughout the UK if the threat of a no deal gathers real momentum.