Shambles at Stormont as NI Covid recovery plan cannot be approved until election of new First Minister

Dear reader

Leo Varadkar has made an intervention on the future of Northern Ireland which has not surprisingly antagonised unionists.

The Republic’s Tanaiste and former taoiseach controversially claimed that Irish unity could come in his lifetime and that it should be a “mission” of his party, Fine Gael, to press for unification.

However, criticism of his comments, which were made at a time of high political sensitivity, has predictably come from across the unionist spectrum.

The Secretary of State Brandon Lewis also expressed his “surprise” at the comments, stressing that it was important to “dial down any rhetoric, particularly at this time of year, I think it is unhelpful and ill-advised”.

Sensitivities continue around both the Northern Ireland Protocol, with Brexit minister Lord Frost taking questions from MPs on the subject today, and the Irish language.

Veteran DUP MP Sammy Wilson warned Mr Lewis against any move to implement Irish language at Westminster, thus bypassing Stormont.

Mr Wilson’s comments to the News Letter came on Tuesday night, and significantly today Economy Minister Paul Frew was singing from a similar hymn sheet, warning Mr Lewis not to “do anything that would undermine devolution at this time”.

Alistair Bushe
Editor

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