Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill has called for a "different approach" from incoming prime minister Andy Burnham, as she prepares to meet him for the first time to advocate for "fair funding for public services" in the region.
O'Neill's Demands for Change
O'Neill, the vice-president of Sinn Féin, said she wishes the Makerfield MP well on becoming Labour leader and stands "ready to work constructively with him." However, she stressed that "a different approach is needed from the British Government."
"Successive British governments have implemented policies that have been catastrophic for ordinary people," O'Neill stated. "They have cut vital public services, deepened inequalities, and left families struggling through a cost-of-living crisis while a small elite continues to accumulate enormous wealth."
She added: "I look forward to meeting with Andy Burnham when he takes up the role as British prime minister. I will make the case for fair funding for public services, action on the cost-of-living crisis, and full respect for our democratic right to determine our own future here on the island of Ireland. The interests of all the people of Ireland will be best served when we have full control of our own affairs in a new and united Ireland."
DUP Leader's Call for Union Commitment
DUP leader Gavin Robinson agreed that Burnham needs to "deliver a change of direction," urging him to show "an unambiguous commitment" to Northern Ireland's position in the UK. "Northern Ireland needs a Prime Minister who believes in the Union," Robinson said. "It means securing our borders, restoring Northern Ireland's full and unfettered place within the UK internal market, and ensuring every citizen and every business is treated equally wherever they live in our country."
Robinson added: "The public will judge Andy Burnham not by speeches or social media videos, but by whether he has the courage to reject Labour's recent failures. Northern Ireland needs a Prime Minister who believes in the Union, backs those who work hard, secures our borders, invests in our national defence and governs with conviction rather than chasing the latest political fashion. The opportunity to change course is there. It is now for Andy Burnham to prove he is prepared to take it."
Uncertainty Over Burnham's Premiership
Burnham was officially made the Labour Party leader at a special conference at the Trades Union Congress headquarters in central London on Friday. He will replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister next week, vowing to give people "hope back." The former mayor of Greater Manchester has been a vocal supporter of more devolved powers to English regions. In his acceptance speech, he said: "We will take power back from Westminster and Whitehall, and give it to the place where you live – more power over life's essentials, so you can make them work better and more affordable for people."
UUP MP Robin Swann said Burnham's premiership "is still full of the unknown," highlighting the questions surrounding his picks for Cabinet. "For us, his choices for the Treasury, the Northern Ireland Office and Defence will have immediate and long-term implications," Swann said. "Will there be a new financial settlement for the Executive? Will there be Executive reform? Will he be able to hold the Executive together this side of the next Assembly election? And when will we see the next iteration of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bills? Where will these issues sit in an in-tray that already contains US relations, the war in Ukraine, the war in Iran, and whatever else appears in the next 50 days?"
