Northern Ireland news - live: Reunification vote ‘within decade,’ suggests Sinn Fein

Staying on the local election results for a moment, Michael Gove has suggested falling levels of home ownership were a key factor in the Conservatives’ heavy losses.

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Dominic Raab accused Sir Keir Starmer of “complete hypocrisy” over the Durham beer and curry event being investigated by police for a possible breach of coronavirus lockdown laws.

Asked if Sir Keir should quit, the justice secretary told Sky News: “It’s the rank double standards that drive people crazy.

“He needs to fess up and answer all of the holes in the account that he gave for that beer-and-curry event in Durham.””

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Labour frontbencher Lisa Nandy said Conservative ministers’ attacks on Keir Starmer over the so-called “Beergate” saga is “frankly absurd and pretty desperate”.

She would not say whether Starmer should resign if he is fined over a takeaway. “I’m not going to get into a hypothetical because I don’t believe for one moment he broke the rules,” the shadow levelling up secretary told BBC’s Sunday Morning.

Ms Nandy said: “It’s absurd to equate serial partying, lying and laughter … and a work event that people broke to eat.”

She added: “This is a game. This is a game where the Conservative party is in real trouble – they and their cheerleaders in the media are flinging mud in increasingly desperate attempts to get some of it to stick at their political opponents.”

Boris Johnson has always been “a divisive character”, the chair of the foreign affairs committee has said.

Tory MP Tom Tugendhat was asked by Sophy Ridge on Sky News if the prime minister was still an asset to the Conservative party.

“Well, it depends on the voter,” he said.

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It seems a pretty good time to recap what is in the Northern Ireland protocol, as well as the key sticking points.

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Dominic Raab has made similar comments to the BBC this morning on the Northern Ireland protocol, saying problems with it needed to be fixed.

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He has also spoken to BBC about allegations facing Sir Keir Starmer of a lockdown breach.

Dominic Raab was asked if it would be fair for the Labour leader to stay in his post even if fined, given that Boris Johnson did just that.

The deputy PM laughed, saying Sir Keir had a “bunch of questions” to answer, including over “rank hypocrisy”.

Here is a reminder of the ‘beergate’ allegations:

Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland secretary, has confirmed he will meet with the leaders of the Stormont parties tomorrow to talk about resurrecting the assembly.

Brandon Lewis also said there has not been a “growth” in the nationalist vote all in all.

“The number of seats held by unionist parties is still large,” he said.

“So I think the focus at the moment quite rightly is on getting Stormont back up and running.”

Dominic Raab said earlier today it was important to sort out power arrangements in Northern Ireland for stability.

Sinn Fein became the largest party in the assembly after their assembly triumph, meaning the republican party is entitled to the first minister’s role.

But uncertainty continues to hang over the future of the devolved legislature in Belfast. Let’s take a quick look at what is going on:

Will Michelle O’Neill become first minister?

She will certainly be entitled to the post but there is a distinct possibility Sinn Fein could be prevented from taking up the first minister’s job, in the short to medium term at least, due to a lack of a willing partner in government.

As the second largest party, the DUP is entitled to the deputy first minister role.

Crucially, however, a properly functioning ministerial executive cannot be formed without both roles being filled.

And the DUP has made clear it will not return to powersharing until changes to the Northern Ireland protocol have been secured.

Is a poll on a united Ireland any closer?

While Sinn Fein has gained no more power by displacing the DUP as the largest party, the result is undoubtedly a symbolically significant moment in the post-Good Friday Agreement era.

A party that wants to ultimately see the end of the state called Northern Ireland is entitled to serve as its first minister.

But the overall nationalist vote has not surged and is still behind the overall unionist vote, albeit the gap has narrowed in recent years.

And it is important to remember the responsibility for calling a vote lies squarely with the UK Government.