Stormont: Resolve protocol issues to avoid election - DUP

The government should focus on negotiations with the EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol instead of calling an election, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader said there had been "little focus" on dealing with the issue due to political chaos at Westminster.

The party has refused to return to power-sharing at Stormont.

Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill accused the DUP of hiding behind the protocol.

Northern Ireland is on course for an election after politicians missed the deadline set by Westminster for restoring the Stormont executive.

Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland secretary, now must call an election to be held within 12 weeks.

'Accountable government'

On Sunday evening, he said he would meet Sinn Féin, the DUP, the Alliance Party and the Ulster Unionist Party on Tuesday.

"The duty to call an election is not one I bear lightly, and I will be outlining to the parties that the people of Northern Ireland deserve a strong and accountable government," he said.

"There are a number of things I could do, including taking action on MLA pay, which I know many people feel is deeply unfair while the assembly is unable to function fully.

"I am also concerned by the issues within the Stormont budget and will address these urgently with my officials and those from the Northern Ireland civil service."

Sir Jeffrey told Sky News he wanted to see the assembly restored as soon as possible, but a new election would not resolve the deadlock.

The protocol is part of the UK-EU Brexit deal which keeps Northern Ireland aligned with some EU trade rules.

This was designed to ensure goods could move freely across the Irish land border, from the UK into an EU member state, the Republic of Ireland.

However, it also created a new trade border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, something the EU accepts is causing difficulties for many businesses.

The DUP said the protocol had undermined Northern Ireland's position within the UK and the party collapsed the Northern Ireland Executive, which is similar to the UK cabinet, in February.

An election in May saw Sinn Féin become the first nationalist party to win the most seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

This entitled Sinn Féin to nominate a first minister for the first time.

Michelle O'Neill said the protocol was here to stay as UK and EU teams continue talks on the issue

Also speaking to Sky News, Ms O'Neill said it was not lost on the wider public that the DUP did not like the election results and they had "difficulty" entering an executive led by her party.

"The DUP hide behind the issues of the protocol," she said.

"What I want to see in the time ahead is very mature, sensible political discussion between the British government and the EU side. Let's find an agreed way to solve the issues around the protocol.

"The protocol is a necessity and it is here to stay. There are things that can be smoothed out, there are things that can be made to work better and I up for that and I hope that is what we achieve."

She urged the negotiations to continue in "earnest and be ramped up".

An agreement would "provide certainty and stability, and would remove any pretence from the DUP in terms of forming an executive with myself and the rest of the parties," she added.

Sir Jeffrey denied his party was reluctant to enter a new executive with a Sinn Féin first minister, and said he withdrew his ministers in February before the election outcome in May.

He summed up the last six months since the election: "We've had three prime ministers, Westminster has been in chaos, there's been little of focus on getting a solution to the protocol.

"The talks with the EU only resumed a couple of weeks ago, and even then only at a technical level."

He urged the UK government to "double down on either getting a negotiated solution with the EU or bringing forward the legislation in Parliament that will resolve the issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol".

The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which is currently with the House of Lords, would give the UK government unilateral powers to change the operation and oversight of the protocol.

In recent weeks, the UK and EU have resumed technical talks aimed at reaching agreement on reforms to the protocol.

Officials have been discussing matters such as reducing the burden of customs administration.

On Friday, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly spoke to the EU's chief negotiator, Maros Sefcovic.

Mr Cleverley said the teams had agreed to speak again soon, while Mr Sefcovic said the EU was committed to finding joint solutions.

Read more: Stormont crisis explained

• NI politicians return to Stormont to elect Speaker

• Who is NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris?

• A simple guide to the Northern Ireland Protocol

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