DUP won't nominate ministers to Executive without 'decisive action' on Northern Ireland protocol

The DUP leader has told the Secretary of State Brandon Lewis that his party will not nominate ministers to the Executive without "decisive action" on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Following the election last week, Sinn Fein is entitled to nominate a first minister. However, with the DUP refusing to nominate a deputy first minister, Sinn Fein can't take the position.

The DUP have come under increasing pressure to re-enter a government. Foyle MLA Gary Middleton has said the party will nominate ministers if issues around the protocol are resolved.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson reiterated that stance on Monday.

Speaking after a meeting with Brandon Lewis in Belfast, he said: "We have had a meeting this morning with the Secretary of State and we have made our position clear to him.

Secretary of State visits Northern Ireland to meet Stormont parties

"It is the position we have held before the election, throughout the election campaign and will continue to hold, and that is until we get decisive action taken by the UK Government on the protocol we will not be nominating ministers to the Executive.

"We want to see stable political institutions, we want to be part of the Executive, we want to play our part and fulfil the mandate we were given by the people of Northern Ireland.

"We are also clear given the damage and harmful impact the protocol continues to have on Northern Ireland, driving up the cost of living, harming our economy, impeding the ability of businesses to trade with our biggest market and fundamentally undermining political stability, undermining the principle of consensus politics.

"We need this to be resolved.

"When we re-entered the Executive back at the beginning of 2020 we did so on the basis of a clear commitment by the UK Government under the New Decade, New Approach agreement to address and protect our ability to trade with the rest of the United Kingdom." Alliance leader Naomi Long urges DUP to enter Northern Ireland Executive

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