Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned new Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle O'Neill to concentrate on 'day-to-day issues' in Northern Ireland, as powersharing government returned to Stormont. The PM met the republican leader on Monday, but later dismissed her call for a referendum on Irish unity within the next decade, stating: 'It is not constitutional change, it is delivering on the day-to-day things that matter to people.'
The DUP accused Ms O'Neill of focusing on 'divisive' issues rather than improving the lot of the people. Irish premier Leo Varadkar also refused to back Sinn Fein, saying: 'I think today is really about marking the fact that the Good Friday Agreement ... is now functioning again.'
The row overshadowed celebrations after powersharing was restored at Stormont at the weekend, following a deal between the UK Government and the DUP on post-Brexit trading rules. The UK Government has offered a £3.3billion funding package to stabilise finances in the region, which Mr Sunak described as 'a generous and fair settlement'.
During talks, Sinn Fein leaders objected to elements of the UK-DUP deal, amid concerns it adopted a pro-Union approach. They stressed the need for the UK Government to remain impartial regarding any future border poll. The Executive, headed by Ms O'Neill with the DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly as deputy First Minister, will hold its first meeting as it tackles Northern Ireland's strained finances.
