Brexit: Paisley claims academics 'inflating' border tensions
- Published
Academic's claims of violence on a hard Brexit border in Ireland have been questioned by DUP MP Ian Paisley.
He said it was "pandering to nationalist concerns" as the NI affairs committee at Westminster began hearing evidence on the future of border policing.
A 14-page report has been submitted in evidence.
The academics form part of the UK-Irish Criminal Justice Cooperation Network.
As well as warning of potential violence, they argued "a more tangible border could lead to increased levels of criminality", such as smuggling.
The PSNI and MI5 have both previously cautioned that a hard border could fuel dissident Republican violence.
DUP MP Ian Paisley has claimed academics are 'inflating' claims of violence over a hard Brexit border
Speaking during the evidence session, Mr Paisley accused the academics of "inflating the problem".
He said: "There has been a pandering to nationalist concerns and a decision to ignore anything that might inflate loyalist concerns about east-west infrastructure being in place in their own country."
He labelled the research "one sided".
Gemma Davies, a law professor at Northumbria University, replied: "I think that's a fair point on the risk of the eruption of violence on both parts."
The paper stated the border "still holds the potential for conflict".
It added Brexit and the "reawakening" of the constitutional debate "strengthens the position" of dissident republican groups and "fosters nationalist sentiment".