NI Protocol: Support increases but concerns persist
The new study for Queen's University has been carried out by Lucid Talk.
Last updated 29th Jun 2022
New figures for Queen’s University show support for the Protocol in Northern Ireland is rising.
The Lucid Talk survey of 1,497 NI voters shows that 55% now view the Protocol as being appropriate for managing the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland.
That figure is up from 47%, when the same question was posed in June 2021.
Over half of respondents found the Protocol has positive economic consequences, while 59% believe the mechanism is bad for political stability in NI.
Over a third (36%) of people questioned said they have no concerns about the full implementation of the Protocol, which means checks on goods arriving in NI from GB.
Over half (55%) do worry about the full implementation of checks at the end of the grace period though.
“Many voters in Northern Ireland clearly continue to have genuine concerns about what the full operation of the Protocol would mean,” said Principal Investigator of the project, Professor David Phinnemore from the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queen’s.
“Yet, this latest poll also shows support for the Protocol edging upwards and almost two-thirds of respondents seeing economic opportunities in it. Also it’s clear that voters would much prefer outstanding issues between the UK and the EU to be resolved through agreement and not unilateral action by the UK government.”
The publication of the study comes in the wake of a Westminster vote that saw a bill to scrap large parts of it passed my a majority of MPs, despite warnings such action could be illegal.
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