Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley has said she believes there would be a bigger vote for Brexit if another national poll was taken.

Ms Bradley, speaking at the meeting of of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly in London on Monday, said she was opposed to another vote on Brexit.

"I personally think, from my knocking on doors, there would be a bigger vote for Leave.

"The fact is the people spoke. We had a people's vote."

Ms Bradley said much of what the European Union has put forward regarding the Brexit backstop are "not acceptable" to the Unionist community in Northern Ireland or the British government.

"A suggestion has been put forward last week at the European Council regarding an extension of the implementation period as a way to deal with the border," she added.

"Now, we are looking at that. It is early days. It is a suggestion that has been put forward by the EU.

"And I want to be clear that we are committed to everything that we have agreed to in the joint report and we will ensure that there is no border on the island of Ireland."

Mrs Bradley said the UK Government's commitment to the Good Friday Agreement is "absolute".

"There is no reneging on any commitment to that agreement," she added.

The Northern Ireland Secretary also said the government believes it can get the Stormont Executive "back up and running".

"There is no sustainable alternative, there is no other arrangement which truly honours all that was achieved 20 years ago," she said.

"When the most recent round of talks ended in February, I was as disappointed as I’m sure you all were. Since then I’ve been working tirelessly with all parties to re-establish a basis for talks, and to try to find common ground."

Mrs Bradley last week introduced a bill to create a temporary period where the duty on her to call an election will be dis-applied in order to allow the Executive to be formed at any time.

She added: "Devolution is right for Northern Ireland so that local decisions can be made according to local priorities. It brings people together from both main traditions in partnership working for the good of the whole community in Northern Ireland."

Belfast Telegraph