The Government has made clear the restoration of powersharing in Northern Ireland is an “absolute priority”. A Downing Street read-out of Cabinet said Mr Sunak opened the meeting with a discussion on Northern Ireland. “The Northern Ireland Secretary said he had carried out extensive engagement with Executive party leaders, civic society and business leaders, as well as people in Northern Ireland in recent days,” Downing Street said. “Cabinet agreed that the UK Government’s absolute priority for the people of Northern Ireland was the restoration of a stable, effective and accountable devolved government in Northern Ireland as well as protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement which had been the bedrock of progress. Any move to extend the election deadline could potentially be bolted onto the budget legislation.

Source: The Herald November 08, 2022 19:19 UTC