British government calls on DUP to reinstate NI First Minister immediately

The British government has expressed disappointment at Paul Givan’s resignation and called on the DUP to reinstate a First Minister to the Northern Ireland Executive immediately.

Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said he would talk to the Irish Government and all the parties in Northern Ireland in an effort to prevent a return to political deadlock.

“The decision by the DUP to withdraw the First Minister from the Northern Ireland Executive is extremely disappointing. I urge them to reinstate the First Minister immediately to ensure the necessary delivery of public services for the citizens of Northern Ireland,” he said.

“The UK government’s priority is to see a strong functioning Northern Ireland Executive delivering a better, more prosperous, shared future for all the people of Northern Ireland.

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“We want to continue to build on the Belfast Agreement’s promise of a stable, cooperative and respectful power sharing Executive. The last two years since the New Decade, New Approach Agreement was reached has demonstrated the potential that can be unlocked when the Northern Ireland parties work together. We must not return to a state of political deadlock and inertia.”

Protocol impact

Mr Lewis said he recognised the impact the Northern Ireland protocol was having on the ground, adding that intensive talks with the European Commission aimed to resolve the difficulties its implementation was causing were ongoing.

“I will be speaking to the leaders of the five parties of the Northern Ireland Executive, and the Irish Government, to encourage a return to stable devolved government in Northern Ireland. I hope that Northern Ireland’s political leaders will take the necessary steps to restore the stability in the devolved institutions that the people of Northern Ireland deserve,” he said.

Foreign secretary Liz Truss had a scheduled call with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic on Thursday as part of the ongoing talks over the protocol. In a brief statement afterwards, she described it as a good discussion but said urgent progress was needed.

“My priority remains maintaining peace and stability in Northern Ireland. We need urgent progress. Look forward to seeing him next week in London. Our teams will continue intensive talks,” she said.

Downing Street said on Thursday that it was taken by surprise by DUP agriculture minister Edwin Poots’s decision to order officials to halt sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks required by the protocol at Northern Irish ports.

Agriculture secretary George Eustice told MPs that checks were continuing despite Mr Poots’s instruction and he urged the Northern Ireland Executive to resolve the issue.

Devolved matter

“Although the overarching responsibility for international relations rests with the United Kingdom government, delivering many of the requirements under the Northern Ireland protocol, including agrifood checks, is a devolved matter and responsibility for doing so falls to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in the Northern Ireland Executive. This includes checks that take place at Northern Ireland points of entry,” he said.

The SDLP's Claire Hanna said the DUP was executing "a series of reckless stunts" to distract attention from its own flawed strategy over Brexit and that removing officials from ports and collapsing the Executive solved nothing.

“It damages trust, it undermines the culture of lawfulness that many of us are trying to foster and it risks vital legislation on climate, education and many other things that have been left hanging since the last governance black hole,” she said. “It is very disturbing that the UK government seem content to shrug their shoulders and collude with this.”