Unionists unite to force cross-community vote on bid for EU ‘observer status’

Sinn Fein is behind the bid at Stormont to address the ‘democratic deficit’ left by Brexit.

Unionists at Stormont have united to force a cross-community vote on a bid for EU “observer status”.

It comes after a Sinn Fein motion which is being debated in Stormont on Monday, seeking agreement to write to the European Parliament for observer status for Assembly Members.

The motion notes that a majority of people in Northern Ireland (56%) voted to remain in the European Union during the Brexit referendum in 2016.

Before the UK left the EU, Northern Ireland sent three MEPs to the European Parliament.

The Sinn Fein motion describes the current situation as a “democratic deficit”.

During the debate, Alliance MLA Eoin Tennyson indicated his party was backing the motion.

He also told MLAs tha