Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent
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Tory MP Julian Smith says David Cameron had been “extremely cavalier” in how he handled the Brexit referendum
Former Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith has accused ex-Prime Minister David Cameron of treating the 2016 Brexit referendum as “some sort of Eton game”.
Smith was the government’s chief whip from 2016 until 2019 under Theresa May’s premiership, which was fraught with tension over how the UK should leave the EU.
The Tory MP was highly critical of Lord Cameron, who made the decision to hold the referendum after pressure from Eurosceptics, saying he had been “extremely cavalier”.
“There should have been a proposition which outlined how both answers would be addressed,” he said.
‘Some sort of Eton game’
“I joined the Conservative Party because of David Cameron, because he was dynamic… but looking back on it, it was unforgiveable that this fundamental question was put to the British people when you have a whole range of issues, not least the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland,” he told the BBC’s Red Lines podcast.
“It was put to the British people as if it was some sort of Eton game.”
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Smith says the Brexit referendum was “put to the British people as if it was some sort of Eton game”
Brexit referendum in 2016
Lord Cameron is among a number of former British politicians who were educated privately at Eton College in Berkshire.
After a majority voted to leave the EU, Lord Cameron resigned as prime minister.
Speaking in 2016, after leaving office, he defended his decision to call the referendum.
“I believe and still believe that the fact that we hadn’t had a referendum on this issue for 40 years, despite the fact that the European Union was changing … was actually beginning to poison British politics – it was certainly poisoning politics in my own party.
“And I think, more broadly, people felt ‘well, we have been promised referendums and they haven’t been delivered’ and people were beginning to feel very frustrated about this issue.”
When Lord Cameron quit as prime minister others in the Conservative Party were left to handle the Brexit process.
Smith was part of that government under Theresa May, which struggled to get agreement on how it should be done.
‘Pretty disastrous’
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Smith says issues such as how to maintain an open border between NI and the Republic of Ireland should have been foreseen
The former cabinet minister said issues such as how to maintain an open border between Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK and therefore would leave the EU, and the Republic of Ireland, which remains in the EU, should have been foreseen during the campaign.
“Instead the UK was led into years of contemplating an answer to that question.
“As time went on moderates turned into purists on either side, it was a pretty disastrous period.”
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Theresa May resigned as prime minister in 2019 due to an inability to pass Brexit legislation
After Theresa May resigned as prime minister due to an inability to pass Brexit legislation, Boris Johnson took over and appointed Smith as Northern Ireland Secretary in July 2019.
Smith was a key player in getting devolution at Stormont restored the following January, after three years of deadlock, but he was sacked from the job a month later due to disagreements with Johnson.
Smith said he “loved” the job, but was not surprised to lose it given he had been an ardent supporter of Theresa May.
He remained an observer of Northern Ireland issues after moving to the Commons’ backbenches, and called on the Stormont Executive to take “tough decisions” on public services.
Border poll
Asked about the potential for a border poll, Smith said he did not think the conditions were “right” for one.
“Look at all the other things that need to be done.
“Don’t let politicians in Northern Ireland off the hook on dealing with social mobility, dealing with the health service, revenue raising – this constitutional discussion is basically an excuse for not dealing with these priority issues,” he added.
“I cannot in any world see a border poll with interest from Ireland, acceptance from the UK… I just don’t see that happening at the current time so we’re better focusing on making people’s lives better.”
You can listen to Smith’s interview on Red Lines on BBC Sounds from 06:00 BST.
