Brexit minister Davis says NI can rejoin EU if it votes for reunification

David Davis has said that Northern Ireland will be able to rejoin the European Union if it was to vote for a reunification with the Republic of Ireland, according to leaked government reports.

In a letter sent to Foyle MP Mark Durkan, Brexit minister Davis confirmed that the region would not have to go through a similar process to Scotland, which the government has said will have to undergo the 'Article 49' process if it were to vote for independence.

"If a majority of the people of Northern Ireland were ever to vote to become part of a united Ireland the UK government will honour its commitment to enable that to happen," Davis said in the letter.

"In that event, Northern Ireland would be in a position of becoming part of an existing EU member state, rather than seeking to join the EU as a new independent state."

British PM Theresa May has penned the letter which will trigger Article 50 on Wednesday, starting the Brexit negotiations with the European Union, which will receive the letter today.

The government is obliged to offer a referendum in Northern Ireland on the border if polls show there is enough support for it.

NI’s power-sharing government recently collapsed after nationalist party Sinn Fein withdrew from the executive over first minister Arlene Foster’s handling of a botched heating scheme.

Negotiations to set up a new executive at Stormont following a snap election broke down on Monday, with secretary of state James Brokenshire referring to it as “extremely disappointing”.