Boris Johnson ‘to make emergency visit to Northern Ireland’ as DUP blocks election of speaker at Stormont & More News Here

Boris Johnson is ready to make an emergency visit to Northern Ireland, as the disaster over the protocol deepened with the unionist DUP blocking the election of a speaker at Stormont.

Sinn Fein first minister designate Michelle O’Neill stated she was anticipating the prime minister in Northern Ireland on Monday, when she is going to inform him to “stop pandering to the DUP”, which is refusing to be part of a power-sharing government whereas the protocol is in place.

There was no rapid affirmation from Downing Street that the visit will go forward. If it does, it’s understood that the PM will concentrate on talks with the Northern Irish events to attempt to get power-sharing preparations again on monitor, moderately than making an announcement on the longer term of the protocol.

It comes amid growing sabre-rattling from the UK administration over the longer term of the take care of the EU, which was agreed by Mr Johnson in 2019 so as to preserve the border with the Republic open after Brexit, however which he now blames for disruption to commerce between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain.

Ministers are understood to have drawn up laws to enable the UK to override components of the protocol, which may very well be unveiled subsequent week at the chance of triggering a commerce conflict with Europe.

London has been accused of “threats and blackmail” by Brussels after overseas secretary Liz Truss informed European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič on Thursday that the UK would have “no choice but to act” if the EU doesn’t give in to calls for to reduce customs checks.

Ms O’Neill stated that Northern Ireland was getting used as “a pawn in the middle of a battle between the British government and the EU”, however insisted that the protocol was “here to stay”.

She stated she is going to inform Mr Johnson on Monday “that he needs to stop pandering to the DUP” and that his authorities “need to get on and work with the Commission and find ways to smooth the implementation of the protocol and stop holding us to ransom for their game-playing”.

“They are playing a game of chicken with the European Commission right now, and we are caught in the middle,” she stated. “That’s not good enough.”

The improvement got here as it was confirmed {that a} delegation of senior members of the US Congress are to visit London, Belfast, Brussels and Dublin subsequent week for talks to spotlight American assist for the Good Friday Agreement, of which the US is a guarantor.

The group might be led by the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, Richard Neal, who additionally chairs the Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus.

“I can confirm that this trip is occurring next week,” a spokesperson for Mr Neal informed The Independent. “However, due to security concerns, I cannot comment further.”

A White House spokesperson declined to say whether or not the congressional delegation would carry a message from President Joe Biden, who throughout a St Patrick’s Day digital assembly with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin stated the settlement “cannot change” and known as it the “foundation of peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland for nearly 25 years”.

The spokesperson stated Mr Biden “has long made clear his strong support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement” and stated the US “underscore[s] our continued support for a secure and prosperous Northern Ireland in which all communities have a voice and enjoy the gains of the hard-won peace”.

Ms O’Neill welcomed the congressional visit and advised that UK hopes of a US commerce deal could rely upon Mr Johnson having the ability to reassure Washington that his stance on Brexit shouldn’t be placing stability in Ireland at danger.

“Britain have reneged constantly on international agreements which they are themselves signed up to,” she stated. “Before the ink will be dry on the paper, they start to unravel those things, and that’s not good enough.

“So if Britain wants to see a future trade deal with the American administration, then they need to honour the Good Friday Agreement and stop messing with it because, quite frankly, that’s what they’re doing right now. “

With cross-community consent required under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, the largest unionist party was able to use its boycott to prevent the appointment of a speaker, effectively preventing the Northern Ireland Assembly from sitting.

Ms O’Neill accused the DUP of “punishing the electorate” by paralysing the capabilities of authorities at a time when all different main events within the meeting needed to go forward with the formation of an government.

“The DUP are holding society to ransom for the hard Brexit which they themselves delivered, along with their friends in the Tories,” she stated.

“I would say to the DUP to get real, to understand the public need a functioning executive, to understand that we need to be in this executive together, working together for the people that have elected us, and that the protocol issues can be resolved alongside that work.”

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