Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland – The leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has announced that he has reached an agreement with the UK government on the operation of post-Brexit trade rules, allowing the region to return to a power-sharing government.
Northern Ireland has been in a devolved government for almost two years since the DUP left in protest over trade rules, saying it created barriers with the rest of the UK and undermined Northern Ireland’s place in the UK. continues to be non-existent.
The return of the region’s largest pro-British party to power offers a path out of a crisis that posed an existential threat to the political settlement that formed the basis of the 1998 Northern Ireland peace agreement, and also the most difficult aspect of Brexit. This will put an end to one of the From the European Union.
Speaking at a press conference in the early hours of January 30th after an hour-long briefing for DUP MPs and party members, Jeffrey Donaldson said: “I can report that the party executive has supported the proposals I have put forward.” I’m happy about that,” he said. .
“Subject to the full and faithful implementation of the binding commitments between the Democratic Unionist Party and the UK Government as agreed…a comprehensive package of measures will be the basis for our party to nominate members of the Northern Ireland Executive. ” he added. .
Any deal would risk splitting the DUP, while also threatening to disrupt the traditional unionist voice (TUV), a much smaller party that opposes any compromise ahead of the UK general election, due by the end of January 2025. ) would provide ammunition to rival factions, including
Earlier, about 50 protesters holding Union Jack flags and placards reading “Stop the DUP sell-out” had gathered outside the hotel, where Mr Donaldson spoke after months of intense talks. He gave an explanation to party members.
The DUP leader said the party had made a firm decision and the result of the vote was “very clear”.
Mr Donaldson said the measures would be underpinned by new UK legislation, which would abolish checks for goods that move within the UK and remain in Northern Ireland, guarantee Northern Irish businesses free access to the UK market and He said the move would protect the region’s position in the region.
He said London could release details “in due course” and move quickly to allow the DUP to return seats to Stormont parliament in Belfast.
Irish nationalist and pro-British unionist politicians are obliged to share power under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement, which ended three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland.
Chris Heaton-Harris, UK’s Northern Ireland minister, said on social media platform He said he wanted it.
Mary Lou MacDonald, leader of Sinn Féin, the Irish nationalist party that became the largest party in the British-ruled territory for the first time in an election shortly after the DUP strike, said she was optimistic the parliament would recover by February 8.
The move allows Sinn Féin to become Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, the latest political milestone for the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which aims to leave Britain and form a united Ireland.Reuters