Conor Burns: No reason for DUP not to be in NI Executive

Minister of State for Northern Ireland Conor Burns has said there is no reason why the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) should not return to the Northern Ireland Executive.

The DUP withdrew from the executive in protest over the NI Protocol.

Mr Burns said the absence of an executive was hurting people hit by the cost of living crisis.

DUP Lagan Valley assembly member Emma Little-Pengelly said Mr Burns' comments were "misguided and mistaken".

She said he should focus on replacing the protocol rather than "pointed attacks on the DUP".

Mr Burns said the government formed by the next prime minister would sort out the protocol.

"There is no excuse for the DUP not being back in government today," Mr Burns said in an interview for BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster.

"Not having a functioning executive is an impediment for us getting the money that Northern Ireland has been allocated as a result of the decisions taken by Rishi Sunak to help families with the cost of living challenges in England.

"Unless we get an executive we can't help those families in Northern Ireland.

"We will sort the protocol, the DUP should be back in government."

The Northern Ireland Protocol is a special arrangement that keeps Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods, avoiding a hard border with the Republic of Ireland.

The arrangement ensured free trade could continue across the Irish land border, which is a sensitive issue because of the history of conflict in Northern Ireland.

But the protocol brought in some new checks on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and has been criticised by unionist politicians.

However, the majority of politicians elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in last month's elections support the arrangements.

'Committed to participating'

In response, the DUP's Mrs Little Pengally said: "No unionist elected to the NI Assembly in May supports the protocol.

"It is precisely because of the harm done to that consensus by the protocol that the political institutions are not functioning at this time.

"We are committed to fully participating in a newly established Northern Ireland Executive, but the NI Protocol must be replaced by arrangements which unionists can support."

She added that "all the main levers to deal with the challenges of 2022 lie in Treasury whether that is green taxes, energy bills, protocol costs or tax-free childcare.

"Just as Westminster is dealing with these matters in Scotland and Wales, they should deal with Northern Ireland too."

The DUP will be uneasy that Conor Burns is the frontrunner to take the position of secretary of state for Northern Ireland under the next prime minister.

He has been more forthright in his criticism of the DUP than Brandon Lewis when he was in the role.

We will have to judge the relationship between Mr Burns and the DUP if he takes up the top job in the Northern Ireland Office.

However we do know in his current position as minister of state for Northern Ireland he has had a rocky road with the largest unionist party.

Mr Burns, a Conservative MP who was born in Belfast, has backed Liz Truss in the Tory leadership race.

He would not be drawn on whether he has pressed to be given the job of secretary of state for Northern Ireland.

Mr Burns said changes had to be made to the Northern Ireland Protocol not just for unionists, but for the many businesses affected by it.

• Executive return 'difficult' if protocol remains

• Why could parts of the Brexit deal be ditched?

• Brexit and Northern Ireland: What does each side want?

"Frankly every aspect of unionist opinion wants changes to the way the protocol is being interpreted and applied here on the ground here in Northern Ireland," he said.

"That is a sentiment that is shared in many ways beyond unionism, by businesses whose supply chains are disrupted by the decision of many companies based in England, Scotland and Wales to stop supplying to the Northern Ireland marketplace because of the costs, the certification and the bureaucracy,

"We want to get the protocol, in a way, working for everybody in Northern Ireland, all businesses in Northern Ireland and get it to a point where it commands a greater consent."

He said if this happened the protocol could become a huge benefit to Northern Ireland as a venue for international investment.