Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Northern Ireland and meets the political parties amid a power-sharing crisis
It comes as the UK is poised to introduce legislation that would allow London to override parts of the Brexit deal on Northern Ireland
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is refusing to enter government at Stormont in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol
The protocol was designed to ensure free trade continued across the Irish land border
A majority of assembly members elected after the 5 May election accept the protocol, including the new largest party Sinn Féin
Mr Johnson tells politicians to "roll up your sleeves" and "get stuck in to the government of Northern Ireland"
Image source, EPAIt's been another busy day of talks in Northern Ireland.
Boris Johnson met political leaders at Hillsborough amid a power-sharing crisis.
As he left for other business, many issues remain outstanding.
You can keep up to date with all the latest news and analysis on the BBC News NI website.
Thanks for joining us. Goodnight.
Image source, PA MediaSo, here's what has happened today:
Read more here.
Image source, PA MediaForeign Secretary Liz Truss has discussed the current situation in Northern Ireland in a phone call with Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
The prospect of the UK removing elements of the NI Protocol has caused unease in Washington.
Following her call with Ms Pelosi, the foreign secretary said: “I reiterated the UK’s commitment to protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, and the importance of getting the NI Executive up and running.”
It comes as Ms Truss is expected to make a statement on the government's plans to act on the protocol on Tuesday, with the government poised to introduce legislation that could override parts of the Brexit deal.
Cabinet ministers are due to formally agree to the foreign secretary's statement tomorrow morning.
Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol is the issue blocking a return of the Stormont power-sharing executive.
The DUP has refused to enter government until issues around the protocol are resolved.
We asked young people attending a concert in south Belfast for their thoughts.
NI protocol: What do young people think?
Speaking after meeting Sinn Féin, DUP, Alliance, UUP and SDLP leaders, the prime minister said he is trying to encourage the parties to re-form Northern Ireland's institutions after the assembly election.
Boris Johnson: 'People want the Northern Ireland Assembly up and running'
Shane Harrison
BBC NI Dublin correspondent
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has spent most of the day dealing with domestic issues.
But he also took time out to talk to Charles Michel, the president of the European Council.
They both agreed that it was very difficult to understand why a democratically-elected assembly is not up and running at Stormont.
Image source, ReutersIn a brief news conference this afternoon, Mr Martin said there was an understanding that there could be no headway made in the talks between the EU and the UK during the assembly election.
But he said now we've moved beyond that, the European Union has made a lot of advances on its original proposals on sanitary and phytosanitary, medicines and customs with little reciprocation from the UK.
Earlier on Monday, Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin met Sinn Féin deputy leader Michelle O'Neill.
A statement from the Irish government said Mr Martin and Ms O'Neill had agreed on the "importance of having the NI Assembly and Executive up and running as soon as possible".
"This is what the people of Northern Ireland voted for less than two weeks ago," the statement said.
The statement added that Mr Martin and Ms O'Neill had "expressed serious concern about possible unilateral moves on the protocol by the British government, which would have a destabilising impact on Northern Ireland".
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Northern Ireland needs a government.
"Everybody should be rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in to the government of Northern Ireland," he said.
"The province has got so much going for it, but you need leadership and you need government."
Image source, PA MediaHe added: "You bet I said to the DUP in particular we want to see you back in the executive, we want to see you nominating, we want to see a speaker in the assembly."
Mr Johnson said the issue the DUP has is that they object to the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
"We don’t want to scrap it, but we think it can be fixed," he said.
Mr Johnson says his government is “sticking up for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement".
“What we’re doing is trying to protect and preserve the government of Northern Ireland," he said.
After he left Hillsborough Castle, he visited Thales factory in Belfast ( where he is pictured, above)
Enda McClafferty
BBC News NI political editor
A lot of people coming out of those talks with Boris Johnson today seemed to be thinking 'what was the point of today?'.
Because there’s a great sense of disillusionment that people went in thinking that there was something coming down the track, hoping that they might get some answers today from Boris Johnson about what was in his thinking.
They left completely frustrated and disappointed because they’re no closer to finding out what track Boris Johnson is on, in terms of dealing with the protocol.
The closest of anything he said to any of the parties was that he was now going to embark on a legislative process which is going to lead to the restoration of the power-sharing executive.
But nobody quite knows how all that’s going to happen.
Speaking after meeting the political parties, Boris Johnson says there are things that different parties want fixed and "we’ve come to try and sort things out".
He said movement on issues around culture, language and abortion legislation would be seen later this week.
Then, he said, there was the issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
"I spoke to all five parties and not one of them likes how it is operating, they all think it can be reformed and improved," he said.
"The question is how do you do that?"
He said he would love if it could be improved in a consensual way with the EU.
"But to get that done we need to proceed with a legislative solution at the same time," he added..
Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister is opposed to the protocol and wants it removed.
He was not meeting the prime minister, but speaking earlier today said Mr Johnson "put this protocol upon us having told us there would never be a border on the Irish Sea.
"So I hold no candle for Boris Johnson, but I do want to hold his feet to the fire," Mr Allister said.
Image source, PA Media"He says he is the prime minister of the United Kingdom; in fact he is the prime minister of a disunited kingdom, disunited by a protocol that decrees GB to be a foreign country [to Northern Ireland]."
He says the question for Boris Johnson is will it be "his writ, the British writ, that runs throughout the United Kingdom, or is the EU writ going to run in part of the United Kingdom".
Stormont's political parties have criticised the prime minister after a series of "robust" meetings on Monday.
Boris Johnson was at Hillsborough Castle to encourage the parties to re-form Northern Ireland's institutions after the assembly election.
Northern Ireland parties react to Boris Johnson meeting
Image source, PacemakerThe prime minister left Hillsborough Castle shortly before 17:00 BST.
At the scene, BBC News NI's Richard Morgan said: "He left by a cavalcade, the police leading him out.
Image source, pacemaker"You get a real sense of the difference when a prime minister leaves.
"Hillsborough is fairly quiet now compared to what it was a few hours earlier on this beautiful summer’s day."
Downing Street has released further images of the meetings that took place between the main political party leaders and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Mr Johnson met Sinn Féin, DUP, Alliance, UUP and SDLP delegations at Hillsborough Castle.
Image source, Downing Street
Image source, Downing Street
Image source, Downing StreetColum Eastwood says the SDLP made it clear to the prime minister, that it will be "impossible for him to satisfy the demands of some of the hard right of unionism who are taking to the streets of Northern Ireland".
"If that's his intention, he will fail miserably," Mr Eastwood said.
Image source, PA MediaMr Eastwood said the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland want politicians to get back into government and do the job they were elected to do.
He also said the British government was "untrustworthy" over the way it has handled the likes of the protocol.
"I think the world thinks very differently of this British government than they have thought of others - they don't trust them," he added.
Speaking to the media following a meeting with Boris Johnson, the Alliance party's Stephen Farry described the encounter as "frustrating" and said it left a "number of questions hanging in the air".
Mr Farry said if the prime minister is serious about restoring power sharing, he must indicate to the DUP, the need to reform the institutions.
Stephen Farry: 'There were some robust exchanges'
It took just under three hours for the prime minister to meet the individual party leaders at Hillsborough Castle.
Each party delegation got about 30 minutes with Boris Johnson.
Mr Johnson left the County Down castle at about 16:45 BST.
Image source, Reuters
The leader of the SDLP, Colum Eastwood, says he had a "fairly robust" conversation with the prime minister this afternoon.
"We made it very clear from our perspective that the vast majority of people voted only a few days ago to ensure the protocol gets implemented," Mr Eastwood said afterwards.
"Also to ensure that we have a government here and that nobody can walk away from their responsibilities to form a government."
Mr Eastwood said that if the British government signals its intent to break international law tomorrow, by legislating to "rip up the protocol at Westminster", he will not have the support of the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland.
Image source, PacemakerPrime Minister Boris Johnson was met by protesters campaigning on a variety of issues from the Troubles' legacy to the Irish language to Brexit.
Image source, Pacemaker
Image source, bbcDoug Beattie
Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie described the meeting with the prime minister as "pretty straight-forward".
"The message of 'Get back to work' is totally lost on us. We are already ready to get back to work.
"That message of 'Get back to work' needs to be directed at the DUP."
Mr Beattie said everyone knew what needed to be done, adding: "It's no checks on goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland if they're staying in Northern Ireland."