Chris Heaton Harris to meet NI political leaders over Stormont stalemate

Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since February Credit: UTV

The Secretary of State is due in Belfast on Thursday to meet with political leaders in a bid to get the Stormont Executive back up and running.

Northern Ireland has been without a working Executive since February, after the DUP walked out in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol.

January, 19 is the new deadline to restore devolved government here.

It means parties now have five weeks to resolve their differences.

The assembly has been recalled numerous times but the DUP failed to elect a speaker.

Last week Mr Harris announced he will cut MLAs pay by almost a third, the pay cut will come into force in January.

Chris Heaton Harris will meet parties in Belfast for roundtable talks.

Meanwhile, talks are intensifying between the EU and UK to try and get agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Foreign Secretary will meet the EU's Maroš Šefčovič in Brussels on Thursday.

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