Press Statement – Alex Easton MP
“There Will Be No United Ireland – The Union Remains the Clear Choice for Northern Ireland”
Alex Easton MP, Independent Unionist Member of Parliament for North Down, has said that claims of an “inevitable” United Ireland simply do not stand up to scrutiny, either politically or economically.
Alex Easton said:
“Despite the constant noise from those demanding a border poll, the facts tell a very different story. Northern Ireland is changing, and so too is how people define themselves. We no longer live in a society divided solely between Unionist and Nationalist. A growing middle ground now identifies as neither – and this group increasingly decides our constitutional future.
That matters, because these voters tend to be pragmatic. They look at healthcare, public services, economic stability and living standards – and on every one of those measures, remaining in the United Kingdom comes out ahead.
The latest independent polling from the University of Liverpool Institute of Irish Studies shows that among those expressing a view, almost 60 per cent would vote to remain in the UK, compared with just over 40 per cent who would vote to leave. Even when undecided voters are included, support for the Union remains clearly in front.
This is without any coordinated campaign by unionism to promote the benefits of the Union. Imagine how much stronger that position could be if unionism spoke with clarity, discipline and purpose, and focused on reaching beyond its traditional base.
Healthcare alone is a decisive issue. People in Northern Ireland rightly value the NHS. In the Republic of Ireland, GP visits, A&E attendances, prescriptions and even fire service call-outs can all come with substantial charges. As a result, over 40 per cent of people rely on private health insurance, costing on average nearly €2,000 per person each year. Emergency waiting times are among the worst in Europe. The idea that this system would somehow be transformed overnight in a United Ireland is simply not credible.
Housing tells another stark story. The average home in Northern Ireland costs around £193,000, compared with roughly £300,000 in the Republic. Unification would place home ownership even further out of reach for many local families.
Then there is the financial reality. Northern Ireland currently receives an £18.2 billion block grant from the UK Treasury, alongside over £7 billion annually in welfare payments. That is more than £25 billion every single year. The Republic of Ireland would have to find this money immediately.
Research from the Dublin-based Institute of International and European Affairs estimates reunification would cost around €20 billion a year for at least two decades – equivalent to about 10 per cent of Ireland’s national income. That would require massive tax rises or severe cuts to public services.
Put simply, the numbers do not add up.
Northern Ireland also benefits from being part of the world’s sixth-largest economy. During Covid, we saw directly what that meant in practice – UK-wide job protection schemes, support for the self-employed, and billions in additional funding for our Executive. The international community, including the International Monetary Fund, recognised the scale and speed of that response. The Republic of Ireland did not receive support on that level.
These are not abstract arguments. They affect people’s jobs, homes, healthcare and pensions.
I am a committed unionist, and I firmly believe that many in the middle ground – and many moderate nationalists – will reach the same conclusion when presented with the facts.
There is no inevitability about a United Ireland. Support for remaining in the UK remains ahead, and for good reason.
That said, unionism must take a long hard look at itself. The public want maturity and delivery, not internal disputes. If unionism united around a positive message and consistently made the case for the Union in a respectful, confident way, support would be even stronger.
I do not want a border poll because I believe it would be destabilising. But I do not fear one either. The evidence is on our side.
Northern Ireland is now well over 100 years old. That gives us a unique opportunity to promote what we have achieved and the advantages of our place within the United Kingdom.
I am optimistic. I believe Northern Ireland will remain part of the UK – not just for the next generation, but for the next hundred years.”
Alex Easton MP
Member of Parliament for North Down
