Starmer places focus on stability in Northern Ireland as he meets leaders

Sir Keir Starmer placed a focus on preserving stability in Northern Ireland as he held talks with the region’s political leaders as part of his tour of the devolved regions.

The Prime Minister met Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly early on Monday before holding meetings with delegations from the five main Stormont parties.

Devolution was restored in Belfast in February after a two-year impasse related to the political fallout from post-Brexit trading arrangements that have created economic and regulatory barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

The DUP collapsed the institutions in 2022 in protest at the so-called Irish Sea border.

While the leading unionist party agreed to return to devolution earlier this year, it continues to call for changes to the contentious trade accords.

On Monday, Sir Keir was pressed on that matter and several other issues of contention in the region, including the perilous state of Stormont’s finances; demands for increased Government funding to rebuild the derelict gaelic football stadium at Casement Park in Belfast in time for it to host Euro 2028 matches; the previous government’s contentious Troubles legacy laws; and the ongoing debate around Northern Ireland’s constitutional future.

The Prime Minister’s visit to Belfast followed his trip to Scotland on Sunday. He was to visit Wales later on Monday to round off his whistlestop trip around the capital cities.

“I have made clear that being here on day three of the new Labour Government is a clear statement of intent about the importance of Northern Ireland to me and my Government, about resetting relationships and moving forward in a respectful, collaborative way,” the Labour leader told reporters in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings in Stormont.

“We have had very constructive and positive discussions this morning.

“I have been very clear that my Government has a mandate for change, for stability here in Northern Ireland and a different way of doing politics.”

On post-Brexit trade, the Prime Minister said the UK will only be able to secure a “better deal” with the EU if it can demonstrate a willingness to operate the existing agreement for Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Protocol that Boris Johnson struck with the EU, and its successor, the Windsor Framework, which Rishi Sunak negotiated with Brussels, both involve a requirement for checks and additional red tape on the movement of goods from Great Britain into the region.

Under those accords, Northern Ireland effectively aligns with many EU rules and regulations in order to maintain an open border on the island of Ireland.

Sir Keir was asked whether his ultimate objective was to secure a trade deal that saw the whole of the UK interacting with the EU on the same basis, without any divergence for Northern Ireland.

“We think we can get a better deal than the botched deal that Boris Johnson brought home and we will work on that, understanding the work that needs to be done and the nature of the challenge,” he said.

“In the meantime we do have to get on with implementing the important changes that are necessary under the existing arrangements we have got because we are not going to be able to get a better relationship unless we demonstrate a commitment to the relationship and the agreements that have already been put in place.”

Sir Keir said his Government was also committed to improving relations between the UK and Ireland, which have been soured in recent years amid the turbulence of Brexit.

The Irish government also recently mounted a legal case in the European Court of Human Rights against the previous government’s controversial legacy laws that offer a limited form of immunity for perpetrators of Troubles crimes.The Labour leader vowed to repeal those contentious legislative provisions ahead of the election.

“I have already had discussions with the Taoiseach (Simon Harris) and others, again to make it clear the approach I will take to reset and make sure those relationships are collaborative, that they are respectful,” Sir Keir said.

“Of course there are issues, including in relation to (legacy) litigation.

“But the most important thing is the way in which we will approach this.

“I treat the mandate that I was given in the General Election as a mandate for doing politics differently, a mandate for stability, much-needed stability.

“I think one of the big problems of the last 14 years, but particularly the last six to eight years, has been instability, a lot of chopping and changing.

“That all ends today.”

Sir Keir responded to media questions on Irish unification by insisting he was committed to the principles of the Good Friday Agreement when considering the possibility of a referendum.

His remarks came as Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald repeated her prediction that there would be a border poll by 2030, adding the issue of reunification has “has never been more alive”.

However, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said there was no mood in Northern Ireland for engaging in a “never-ending, repetitive psychodrama” about a border poll.

Ms McDonald, whose party last week emerged as the largest Northern Ireland party at Westminster following the General Election, said she used her meeting to urge Sir Keir not to “bury his head in the sand” on the question of Irish unity.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement sets out that the current Northern Ireland Secretary can call a border poll when he or she believes a majority of people in the region support a change to the constitutional status.

Sir Keir has previously stated that the issue of a united Ireland is not on his horizon and at the weekend the new Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said he believed the prospect of a vote on Irish unity is “off into the distance”.

Asked about the potential of a poll when he spoke to the media, the Prime Minister said: “This is provided for by the Good Friday Agreement, the framework is set out and I am absolutely committed to the Good Friday Agreement.

“Today is a recommitment to that and to the approach and the role of the UK Government in that as the honest broker.

“I am the Prime Minister for the whole of the UK, elected into office just a few days ago.

“But to reaffirm the importance of the principles of the Good Friday Agreement is part and parcel of why I am here today.”

Sir Keir confirmed that the stalled rebuild of Casement Park was raised during his discussions at Stormont.

The derelict west Belfast ground has been earmarked to play host to five matches in the showpiece tournament being hosted in the UK and Ireland.

However, the funding required to build the stadium in time for the tournament is still not in place, prompting concerns that the delays will see Belfast missing out.

The new Labour Government is facing calls to stump up the extra cash needed to plug the funding gap. On Sunday, Mr Benn insisted the stadium would be built “one way or another” but did not offer certainty on it being ready in time for 2028.

On the wider issue of Stormont’s finances, and ongoing calls from the main parties for increased support from the Treasury, Sir Keir told reporters on Monday that he wants to work with local politicians to resolve concerns over funding of public services.

The Prime Minister arrived at Stormont Castle early on Monday morning at the start of his first full week in office, ahead of travelling to the Nato summit in Washington on Tuesday.

Sinn Fein First Minister Ms O’Neill and DUP deputy First Minister Ms Little-Pengelly greeted Sir Keir and Mr Benn at the castle entrance before they held a meeting inside.

Ms O’Neill congratulated Sir Keir on his electoral success and they discussed Westminster and Stormont parliamentary schedules.

After half an hour with Stormont’s leaders, the Prime Minister then moved on to nearby Parliament Buildings, where he was greeted at the foot of the landmark steps by Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots.

He then held talks inside with representatives from the main Stormont parties.