Stormont: Money matters on the table as parties meet again

Direct rule is not a viable option, Sir Jeffrey said

Northern Ireland political leaders have returned to Hillsborough Castle on Monday to talk money, still not knowing if they will be in a position to spend it.

The government had hoped to be making plans for re-establishing Stormont if they received the green light from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Instead, the BBC understands the DUP has ruled out the prospect of a deal to restore devolution before Christmas.

At the weekend we got a leaked email from its leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to party members making it clear they were not over the line yet.

Though it did feel like a party preparing for government when it feels the time is right.

Most of the email was directed at the ongoing battle to get more money from the Treasury.

The DUP seems to have made the calculation that if it agrees to go back into government before the money is sorted it will weaken its negotiating hand.

But the email did trigger lots of phone calls over the weekend between all the key players.

There was a frustration that the DUP leader appeared to be stalling for more time and wanted the process parked until after Christmas.

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The lack of an imminent deal means Westminster will move into recess on Tuesday without the government laying the legislation demanded by the DUP to ensure Northern Ireland retains full access to the UK's internal market.

It also raises the risk that the proposed deal on the table, which has been shared within the DUP, could be picked apart.

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There are some in the DUP who feel there needs to be a gap between the £2.5bn financial package for Stormont and the decision on returning to the executive.

For them the Christmas break is the ideal time to ensure the party is not accused by its unionist opponents of selling out.

That may suit the DUP, but not the government or other parties.

That is why Northern Ireland's Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris will likely be pressed this week to ramp up pressure by declaring the negotiations on the Windsor Framework to be over and stating it is now decision time for Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

But even that move is unlikely to force the DUP from its own timeline.

Chris Heaton-Harris could come under more pressure to put deadlines in place

As it now appears that the current process will be parked until after Christmas, another deadline will move into focus.

Mr Heaton-Harris is under a legal obligation to call another assembly election by 18 January if a Stormont executive has not been reformed by then.

Expect that date to creep into the wider political debate post-Christmas.

While nobody believes the secretary of state will push the election button, having a date to focus on can be useful in a talks process.