Northern Ireland’s shadow secretary of state has accused Labor of being “nervous” in advocating for a union.
The Labor government said last week Border polls “not a priority”.
But on Sunday, Conservative MP Alex Burghardt said it was the party’s job to “support” the four UK nations.
“If we give the separatists an inch, they will take a step back,” he told party members during a panel debate on the future of unions at the Conservative Party conference.
It was the party’s first meeting since the general election, in which it suffered a major defeat, falling to 121 seats in the House of Commons.
Burghardt was appointed shadow secretary of state in July by outgoing Conservative leader Rishi Sunak.
He referred to Sinn Féin’s recent ard fheis (annual conference) on Saturday, where party chair Mary Lou McDonald said she would speak appoint a unity minister If Sinn Féin enters government in the Republic of Ireland.
Burghardt referred to comments made last week by former Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who said Irish unity must be a ‘goal’, not an ‘aspiration’ Who is in power after the next Irish election.
“It’s clearly the nationalist parties who think Labor might take a moderate approach,” Burghardt said on Sunday.
“The reality is that Labor is more nervous about being a public advocate for unions.”
