Half of voters in Northern Ireland would vote against Irish unity, while 66% of voters in the south would vote in favour.

That is according to twin surveys carried out on either side of the border for the Irish Times and the ARINS project.

Additionally, the vast majority in both jurisdictions want referendums within the next decade.

Speaking to The Anton Savage Show, Ulster Unionist Party Leader Doug Beattie said he doesn't accept that unity is 'inevitable' and he's not surprised at the findings.

"Wanting a United Ireland is a fair aspiration and people should be able to pursue that", he said.

"But as it stands now the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland do wish to stay part of the United Kingdom."

Mr Beattie believes that, while there have been some 'destabilisers' in Northern Ireland in recent years, such is the "ebon flow" of politics.

He said that in the end people will see that being part of the UK is "the right choice".

"Confident Unionist"

North of the border, 50% said they would vote for Northern Ireland to stay in the UK, 26% said they would vote for unity with the Republic and 19% said they "don't know".

"You can't take anything for granted, there's no room for vitriol here", Mr Beattie said.

"That 19% of people we have to go out and reach out to and show them that Northern Ireland could be inclusive."

The Stormont parliament building in Belfast, Northern Ireland in August 2021. Picture by: Malcolm Walker / Alamy Stock Photo

He described himself as a "confident Unionist".

"I view people not through their religious lens or their cultural background or their sexuality", he said.

"It's up to me to reach out to that 19% and say Northern Ireland, if we all work together, is a place that you'll want to be part of."

Identity

Figures from the 2021 census have revealed that 45.7% of people in Northern Ireland are Catholics, while 43.5% are Protestants.

Mr Beattie believes that support for the North to remain part of Britain will remain strong despite rapidly changing demographics.

"People can view themselves culturally as Nationalists but still want to remain in the United Kingdom", he said.

"Identity is a complicated thing and it's multi-layered."

"I've always classed myself as being strong and Irish but clearly I'm also very British."

"Identity is a complicated thing and it's multi-layered."

Mr Beattie believes that religion is not synonymous with cultural identity and therefore cannot be assumed.

Listen back to the full conversation here.