Ciaran O’Hare of McIvor Farrell Solicitors is representing victims’ rights campaigner Raymond McCord, who is bringing the case.

Mr McCord’s case argues that the UK government’s lack of a clear policy on the holding of a border poll is at odds with both the Good Friday Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

He has suggested that “transparency” on this issue would help to “remove the ‘fear factor’ from politics and perhaps enable Stormont to get up and running again”, according to his solicitor.

Mr O’Hare said: ” will be the first time in 20 years since the inception of the Good Friday Agreement that this question, of what exactly the government’s policy on the border poll is, will be examined.

“This is a landmark case which will have a profound effect on the Constitutional position of Northern Ireland.”

Mr McCord has separately been granted leave to bring similar judicial review proceedings to the High Court in Dublin.