Brexiteers ‘crying salty tears’ need to accept the consequences of their actions, says Sinn Féin leader

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said supporters of the UK leaving the EU who are “crying salty tears” about Brexit need to accept the consequences of their actions.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she went on to tell Brexiteers to not “point the finger at others”, adding that every person has the responsibility “for their own political decisions and actions”.

“I think it needs to be remembered this protocol is only in place a short number of weeks. It needs also to be recalled that Brexit was not our idea. Brexit was something the DUP and the British system – the Brexiteer part of it – championed,” she said. 

The comments came after the European Union triggered Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol – part of the UK’s agreement – last week amid a dispute over the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca. 

The protocol, which was later reversed, aiming to prevent a ‘hard border’ between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Article 16 allows either party to suspend the protocol if they believe it is caused “economic, societal or environmental difficulties”.

Ms McDonald added that Brexit has some consequences which will be “disruptive” and “negative” that the protocol can’t mitigate.

“Those negative consequences belong to Brexit […] They are not the fault of the protocol. The first thing that needs to happen now is we need cool heads. We need calm, mature leadership. Those teething problems that do exist need to be identified and need to be ironed out,” she said.

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