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Mr McKay stated the party believed Irish reunification was a matter of “when not if”. Sinn Fein has been accused by politicians of using Brexit to push for a united Ireland. The former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Lord Hain, suggested the party would benefit from the uncertainty of Brexit. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World at One, Mr McKay, who stood down from Sinn Fein in August last year, said if the party was to gain power it could look to introduce MPs from the north in the Irish parliament, the Dail.

BBC•GETTY Daithí McKay said Sinn Fein thought Irish reunification was a matter of "when not if"

Certainly from Sinn Fein’s perspective, it is now a matter of when rather than if Daithí McKay

He said: “Certainly from Sinn Fein’s perspective, it is now a matter of when rather than if and if Sinn Fein were to go into government in the south, they will have a number of issues on the table in regard to the north that may be the representation of MPs from the north in the Dail itself. “Sinn Fein are now in the south to stay. It has been part of their strategy for the past ten to 20 years and now they’re finally beginning to see the fruition of that.” Lord Hain has claimed that the uncertainty of Brexit is playing into Sinn Fein’s hands. Speaking on Radio 4, he said: “The nationalists and republicans have always wanted a united Ireland and I think that Brexit plays into their hands.

Brexit debate in pictures Mon, April 17, 2017 The debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg will focus on key issues of the Brexit talks including reciprocal rights for EU citizens, the peace process in Northern Ireland and trade Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 23 Former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage (L) gestures as he speaks with EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker (R) prior to a debate on the conclusions of the last European Council, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg