Leave or Remain? Summary of NI Affairs Committee Evidence

Institute of Directors (IoD)

No position

In a snap UK wide survey following the Prime Ministers agreement with the EU, the IoD found that 60% of its members would vote to remain in the EU, while 31% would vote to leave.

More specifically to Northern Ireland, with a 28% response rate, the IoD found that 75% of its members in Northern Ireland would vote to remain in the EU.

Utility Regulator

No position 

In written evidence provided to the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, the Utility Regulator stated that it “in principle, there is no reason why wholesale electricity flows between RoI and NI or between either part of the island and the UK mainland should be affected by Brexit.”

RSPB

Remain in the EU

The Northern Ireland Labour Party

Remain in the EU

Sinn Féin

Remain in the EU

Northern Ireland Office

Remain in the EU

The NIO supports the government's position to remain in the EU, despite Secretary of State Theresa Villiers supporting the leave campaign. 

The People’s Movement 

Remain in the EU

Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ)

Remain in the EU

Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

No position

In November 2013, the CBI published its flagship report, Our Global Future: The Business Vision for a Reformed EU. While there is single response from the business community, in their report, CBI found that the majority of its members believed that, on balance, business benefits from EU membership and the alternatives to membership of a reformed EU have serious downsides. In their written evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, CBI stated that “the EU is not perfect and with significant changes in the global economy it must seize the opportunity to reform in order to keep pace in an increasingly globalised world.” They added that they would be “consulting members again to guide our position in advance of the referendum.”

Centre for Cross Border Studies

Remain in the EU

Centre for Democracy and Peace Building

No position

The Centre for Democracy and Peace Building has held five events in five weeks across Northern Ireland to facilitate an informed debate about the referendum in Northern Ireland.

The Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA)

Remain in the EU

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Northern Ireland Branch

No position

In a comprehensive study of its members, the received 6,263 responses from its members. Once analysed the FSB found that 47% of its members plan to vote to remain in the EU, while almost 41% leaned towards a vote to leave the EU.

Core Systems Ltd

Remain in the EU

British Irish Chamber of Commerce

No position

Director John McGrane gave oral evidence to the committee stating that whilst there were different opinions amongst the memberships of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce, they all agree upon the fact that "nobody believes the European Union would be stronger without the presence of the people and the business of the United Kingdom at the heart of that process.” 

Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom, Dan Mulhall

Remain in the EU

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)

Remain in the EU

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)

Leave the EU

Alliance Party

Remain in the EU

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV)

Leave the EU

Social and Democratic Labour Party (SDLP)

Remain in the EU

Professor Neil Gibson, Director of the Economic Policy Centre at the University of Ulster

No position

However, he does state that favourable post-Brexit trade agreements are achievable.

Dr Leslie Budd, Reader at the Open University Business School

Remain in the EU

Dr Graham Gudgin, Research Associate at the Centre for Business Research in the University of Cambridge

Leave the EU

Green Party Northern Ireland

Remain in the EU

George Hamilton QPM, Chief Constable & Will Kerr, Assistant Chief Constable,  Police Service of Northern Ireland

No position

Chief Constable Hamilton stated that “what the co-operation, the access, the degree of control would be is a matter for the UK Government and then we would look to fulfil that, as long as it had the legitimacy of legislation and so on.”

Ulster Farmers’ Union

Remain in the EU

Mr Wesley Aston, in giving oral evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee stated: “We have a wide range of opinion across our membership and we recognise that already…on balance, in the absence of any compelling reason for agriculture to leave the European Union, we feel that it is better for the minute, given the circumstances and the knowledge we have, to stay. That is the official position.”

Ben Wallace MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office

Remain in the EU

Professor Dagmar Schiek, Professor of Law at the School of Law at Queen’s University Belfast, Jean Monnet ad personam Chair and Director of the Centre of European and Transnational Legal Studies

Remain in the EU

Dr Cathal McCall, Reader in Politics at Queen’s University Belfast

Remain in the EU

Dr Lee McGowan, Senior Lecturer in Politics at Queen’s University Belfast

Remain in the EU

Sylvia de Mars, Lecturer in Law at Newcastle University

Remain in the EU

Colin RG Murray, Senior Lecturer in Law at Newcastle University

Remain in the EU

Aoife O’Donoghue, Senior Lecturer in Durham Law School at Durham University

Remain in the EU

Ben TC Warwick, Graduate Teaching Assistant in Durham Law School at Durham University

Remain in the EU

Professor Gordon Anthony is a member of the Conseil’ d’Orientation de la Chaire Mutations de l’Action Publique et du Droit Public, Sciences Po

Remain in the EU

Professor Christopher McCrudden, in William W Cook Global Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School

Remain in the EU