Belfast solicitor Niall Murphy has warned that Northern Ireland is “sleepwalking into a constitutional disaster” over Brexit.

Writing on the website of journalist Eamonn Mallie, Mr Murphy said the Irish government needed to “hold firm and ensure there is no regression on rights”.

Mr Murphy was one of the signatories on a letter sent by leading nationalists to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last year.

Writing on Mr Mallie’s website, he said that initiative “has resonated deeply with the Irish Government and has conditioned their policy”.

However, he said time is “running out” to make sure that the UK government stands by earlier commitments on post-Brexit rights.