Professor Colin Harvey

Professor Harvey, professor of human rights law at Queen’s University Belfast, said it would be “irresponsible not to talk about this”.

In a statement published by Think32, he said “growing belligerence from the British government” had created “a radically new context that demands fresh thinking”.

Professor Harvey continued: “It is time to plan and prepare for giving people on this island a say on the constitutional future. There is a mechanism to allow us to determine our own fate in the face of a British government that is walking further away from the values that underpin the Good Friday Agreement.

“Those calling for a people’s vote in the UK must accept that if their preferred outcome does not prevail then there is a logical next step.

“All those noting the consequences of a no-deal Brexit for this island are the voices of reason and constitutional responsibility.

“It is time for people who care about the well-being of everyone on this island to seize the moment and map out a better way forward for our island for the sake of future generations. The constitutional moment for this generation is upon us. We must not turn away.”