31/07/2019

Boris Johnson At Stormont For Talks Update

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has arrived in Northern Ireland today to join the Stormont talks process.

The Conservative leader is joined by Secretary of State Julian Smith to meet the leaders of the five main political parties and be updated on the progress of negotiations to restore devolution.

Arriving at Stormont House, the Prime Minister said the restoration of devolution was his "prime focus".

"The people of Northern Ireland have now been without an Executive and Assembly for two years and six months – put simply, this is much, much too long," Mr Johnson said.

"Northern Ireland's citizens need and deserve the Executive to get up and running again as soon as possible, so that locally-accountable politicians can take decisions on the issues that really matter to local people.

"I'm pleased to meet each of Northern Ireland's party leaders to stress that I am going to do everything in my power to make the ongoing talks to restore devolution a success."

It comes after a delegation of DUP figures met with Boris Johnson on Tuesday evening as he arrived in Northern Ireland to discuss the confidence and supply agreement with the party's 10 MPs.

The visit to Northern Ireland is Mr Johnson's first as Prime Minister and follows trips to Scotland and Wales in recent days.



(JG/CM)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

15 February 2006
Prime Minister to meet NI parties in Downing Street
Prime Minister Tony Blair is to hold talks today in Downing Street with representatives from the DUP, SDLP and UUP in a bid to end the current stalemate situation in the Northern Ireland political process. Mr Blair will discuss the issues with each party and try to come up with a solution in order to return to a state of devolution.
29 May 2012
Access To Republic Of Ireland Digital TV Channels Confirmed For Northern Ireland
TV viewers in Northern Ireland will be able to watch TG4 and RTÉ One and Two on Freeview following digital TV switchover, the UK Government confirmed today.
13 January 2020
PM & Taoiseach To Visit Stormont
The Prime Minister and Taoiseach are set to visit Belfast to mark the restoration of devolved government to Northern Ireland. A new powersharing Executive was formed by Stormont's five parties on Saturday 11 January.
26 July 2019
New NI Secretary To Hold Talks With Party Leaders
Northern Ireland's new Secretary of State Julian Smith will visit the region to hold talks with each of the five main political parties today. The MP for Yorkshire constituency Skipton and Ripon inherits the task of facilitating the Stormont talks process after Karen Bradley was sacked from her role on Wednesday by new Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
18 May 2022
Alliance Calls For Reform Of NI's Political Institutions
Alliance Leader Naomi Long has called for Northern Ireland's political institutions to be reformed, telling Prime Minister Boris Johnson that it is "the only way to avoid the constant cycle of collapse and crisis". Mrs Long met with the Prime Minister while he was in NI to speak to local parties regarding the restoration of devolution.