Brexit result: Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness calls for border poll on united Ireland
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK to share a land border with another EU country, the Republic of Ireland. It is unknown how Brexit will affect relations between the two regions
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Louise Thomas
Editor
Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has called for a border poll on a united Ireland, after the UK has voted to leave the EU.
Support for the EU is considerably higher in Northern Ireland than the rest of the UK.
As the region shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland, it is unknown how the relationship between the two countries will be affected by Brexit.
Some politicians have speculated a physical border and passport control checks could be errected between the two, while others have questioned whether an effective border will have to be drawn around mainland Great Britain, thereby shutting off Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.
Northern Ireland also receives considerable financial support from the EU in the form of so-called 'peace money' to fund projects aimed at supporting the region's peace process following the Troubles conflict.
Northern Irish parties have largely campaigned for a Remain vote including Sinn Fein, SDLP and Alliance- with the exception of the Democratic Unionist Party who have backed Brexit.
McGuinness' comments add to calls for a further referendum on Scottish independence, as the majority of Scottish voters have also backed the Remain campaign.
Nigel Farage has declared a decisive victory for the Leave campaign, saying "a dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom."
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