castle and jeffrey donaldson from the dup. hate hillsborough castle and jeffrey donaldson from the dup. we are waitin: to donaldson from the dup. we are waiting to see — donaldson from the dup. we are waiting to see what _ donaldson from the dup. we are waiting to see what they - donaldson from the dup. we are waiting to see what they say - donaldson from the dup. we are waiting to see what they say in i waiting to see what they say in precise detail, so i will suspend judgment until i have seen what the government is proposing and consolidate with my party about that. ~ . consolidate with my party about that. ~ , , consolidate with my party about that. ~ . . . .. that. the prime minister is talking in an article _ that. the prime minister is talking in an article today... _ in an article today... inaudible we have set out our seven tests, set them out last summer as to how we would judge any outcomes from this process. 07 tests remain, that will be the basis upon which we judge what the government tends to do. journalist as

their leader, sir jeffrey donaldson, says the new customs border undermines their constitutional position within the uk. i want to see what the government have to propose. i welcome the prime minister being here today and the opportunity to speak to him. we have waited a long time for this moment. a long time to see the government bring forward proposals that represent action to deal with the problems created by the irish sea border. by the harm that is doing to our economy, undermining our political institutions, creating instability and harming our relationship with the rest of the united kingdom. we cannot have power unless there is a consensus. that consensus does not exist. i am in the business of rebuilding that consensus. mr donaldson said he will reserve judgment on power sharing, until he has seen what the government proposes in the legislation. the sinn fein president, mary lou mcdonald, who also met with the prime minister, said the british government was working in coordination with the dup to undermine the suspended northern ireland executive and international law. the britis

the dup leader, jeffrey donaldson, was the first in for meetings with the secretary of state for northern ireland in belfast this lunchtime. he is refusing to return to power sharing because of objections to the post—brexit trade rules — the northern ireland protocol — which means politics here looks likely to stay paralysed for now. we will not be nominating ministers to the executive, that is our position. we look to what the government are now going to say, but more fundamentally important to what the government are now going to do. action is what is required, and the sooner it happens the better for all of us. cross—community alliance party increased its support at this election, and is calling for devolved government to resume. i think the dup need to reflect on their mishandling of brexit, on the fact that they had huge influence at westminster and overplayed their hand. it would be foolhardy for them to overplay their hand with devolution because that is a gamble that northern ireland can't afford to take. the protocol requires checks on goods coming from britain into north

donaldson, the dup, would not be committed to saying he would go back into unless and the northern ireland protocol that guides the trading arrangements as part of the brexit treaty was changed or perhaps got rid of all together, of which there is no sign of that happening? what is no sign of that happening? what is the mood?— is no sign of that happening? what is the mood? ., ., , , is the mood? that has been with the dup's fierce — is the mood? that has been with the dup's fierce opposition, _ dup's fierce opposition, particularly in the last year or so. it is why power—sharing became fragile, it is why the dup is on its third leader in the space of a year, it is white power—sharing collapsed in february and why the dup has said it will not resume power—sharing unless there are —— it is why power—sharing collapsed in february, and why they say they will not resume power—sharing. sinn fein is supportive of the protocol, says there are opportunities for northern ireland, because of the status it enjoys with the postbox brexit trade rules. a lot of completed issues at play

has go into coalition and the dup leader xi jeffrey donaldson has said go into coalition and the dup leader xijeffrey donaldson has said his party will be staying out of government unless the brexit trade border with england, scotland and wales is scrapped. whenever it comes to the over all picture, while there is no doubt a shift towards sinn fein and away from unionism would be a significant moment for northern ireland. however, the offices of first and deputy first minister are equal so other party say it doesn't matter who wins this election. in any case, this ballot will be critical for the very future of devolution in northern ireland and also given the importance of that brexit issue, it will potentially have babe implications for the relationship between the uk and the eu. , ., ,, ., ., ., eu. chris page there in stormont for us. just eu. chris page there in stormont for us- just time — eu. chris page there in stormont for us- just time to _ eu. chris page there in stormont for us. just time to tell— eu. chris page there in stormont for us. just time to tell you. .. _ the

jeffrey donaldson for the dup has said he will notjoin that. that could throw up all sorts of issues for power—sharing. they want a functioning assembly so they can spend many unimportant things. they have a cost of living crisis as well. the northern ireland protocol, the whole point of adding checks on goods going from great britain to northern ireland is causing a huge problem. i was told by someone very close to all of this there would be something in the queen's speech, a specific bill which would potentially give ministers the power to override the northern ireland protocol, incredibly controversial and something the unionists in northern ireland would like. we have since been told that will not happen. a lot has been going on around us about what exactly the government in westminster can do about it all. and as they do something it is hard to see has still not get back up and running again. still not get back up and running atain. �* , ., , , still not get back up and running atain. �*, ., , , again. let's remind ourselves about th

sigh i understand sir jeffrey donaldson has said he will not participate in the election of the speaker of the stormont assembly —— welcome understand. therefore, that simply— —— welcome understand. therefore, that simply will not be able to function _ that simply will not be able to function. i think the unionists are understandably concerned about the way the _ understandably concerned about the way the northern ireland protocol has been — way the northern ireland protocol has been working and we should be as well because the treaty itself provides for its revision and that has not — provides for its revision and that has not been successfully concluded and it _ has not been successfully concluded and it needs to be. it needs to be revised _ and it needs to be. it needs to be revised because it was always agreed that northern ireland remained a fundamental part of the united kingdom and within our customs territory— kingdom and within our customs territory and regulatory space. when territory and regulatory space. when the northern — territory and regulatory space. w