DUP meeting over Stormont return: Party ‘will not give running commentary’ as speculation mounts

Officers holding internal ‘deal or no deal’ meeting on FridayDUP says ‘no decision’ will be made todayTUV leader describes it as ‘defining moment for unionism’NI Secretary to take ‘pragmatic’ approach after latest Stormont deadline passes

Senior DUP figures have held discussions on potentially ending their Stormont boycott as senior sources said it was time to make a decision.

But the party has downplayed the prospects of a final decision emerging on Friday.

A DUP spokesperson said: “We understand that there has been considerable interest in our meeting today.

“We will not give a running commentary on our position, save to say, we will continue to engage with the Government.”

A report has stated that EU diplomats have dismissed suggestions there are negotiations underway between the UK and the European Commission to change the Windsor Framework in order to facilitate a DUP return to Stormont.

Political sources had said that Sir Jeffrey Donaldson would try to get the support of his party officers at Friday’s meeting.

If successful, this could see the deal then being sent for approval to the party’s executive over the weekend.

Downing Street expressed hope the Stormont impasse could soon be resolved while Irish premier Leo Varadkar described the meeting as a “positive sign”.

One report suggested the DUP had been offered what was described as a patriotic rebrand of the Irish Sea border in an attempt to get the party onside.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the government negotiators have discussed drafting more favourable language around the Windsor Framework, including potentially renaming the Green Lane – which governs the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland – as the ‘UK Internal Market Lane’.

However, RTE reported EU diplomats had dismissed suggestions of fresh negotiations between the UK and the European Commission over the Windsor Framework.

The DUP walked out of the Executive in early 2022 over its concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Senior civil servants are running Stormont departments, with limited powers, in the absence of ministers.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said before Christmas that his negotiations with the DUP over the Windsor Framework had concluded.

On Friday, amid rumours of a party officer meeting, a senior DUP source said: “Whether a decision is taken today or next week it is clear that the time for a decision has arrived. The negotiation is over.”

Earlier, a senior source in the party told the BBC’s Nolan Show it was an internal ‘deal or no deal’ meeting with the party leadership pushing for the restoration of the Assembly.

However, the DUP later told Cool FM that no decision will be made by the party today on a return to Stormont.

The source was quoted by the Nolan show had said the numbers of those wanting to return to the Assembly compared with those opposed “are so close” and that any vote on returning may come down to one or two individuals.

The source in the show was also quoted as saying: “Get it all up and running by next week and move on from the Windsor Framework.”

The DUP has been approached for comment.

On the Nolan Show, Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie said: “I think the decision point was always going to come whether it was going to be this week, last week or next week.

“I think we have come to the decision point. Which way it goes I simply have no idea. I hope the party can support Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and go back into government again.

“We have to see what the outworking is. The reality for us all is the decision we make is going to affect the whole of Northern Ireland.”

Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry added: “It is decision time for the DUP, negotiations around the Windsor Framework have concluded.

“I am cautious because we have been down this road many times with previous false dawns. We will see if anything does emerge over the coming hours and days.”

TUV leader Jim Allister described it as a “defining moment for unionism”.

“If, as I suspect, not one word of the Protocol has changed and Sir Jeffrey pushes his party back into Stormont then a false bill of goods was sold to the unionist people,” he said.

“If the protocol is accepted by the DUP then they will have accepted that never again will Northern Ireland be fully part of the United Kingdom.”

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll added: “Whether the DUP decide to back this deal or not, the Secretary of State must give public sector workers a pay rise. If he refuses then there must be further strike action.”

It comes as the Northern Ireland Secretary has said he will introduce new legislation taking a “pragmatic, appropriate and limited approach” to addressing the political deadlock after the latest deadline to restore Stormont passed.

Chris Heaton-Harris said his legislation will also “support Northern Ireland departments to manage the immediate and evident challenges they face in stabilising public services and finances”.

The DUP maintained their boycott during a final failed attempt to recall the Assembly following a motion by Sinn Fein on Wednesday.

File pic of DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Heaton-Harris had been under an obligation to call a fresh election if the institutions were not restored by January 18.

Minutes after midnight he issued a statement signalling that he intends to introduce new legislation.

He said he was disappointed that the Assembly and Executive had not been restored.

Thursday saw more than 150,000 public sector workers take part in the biggest strike in recent history in a demand for the pay uplifts given to their colleagues in the rest of the UK.

Public sector workers take part in a rally at Belfast City Hall during a huge strike on Thursday (Liam McBurney/PA)

In December the Government offered a financial package worth more than £3 billion – including money to make the outstanding pay awards – but it will not be made available until Stormont returns.

Mr Heaton-Harris came under pressure to intervene to release the funds in the absence of Stormont ministers, but he insisted public sector pay was a devolved matter.

Early on Friday, Mr Heaton-Harris said events in Northern Ireland this week “have shown the urgent action which is required to address a whole range of issues facing Northern Ireland”.

He added: “I remain of the belief that a sitting Northern Ireland Executive is best placed to act quickly and effectively to resolve those issues.

“In the absence of a sitting Northern Ireland Executive I will update Parliament on the next steps.

“I intend to introduce new legislation which will take a pragmatic, appropriate and limited approach to addressing the Executive Formation period and support Northern Ireland departments to manage the immediate and evident challenges they face in stabilising public services and finances.”

Meanwhile Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, defended the decision to link the release of that financial package with the reformation of the Executive and Assembly at Stormont.

He also urged the DUP to return to the Executive despite their concerns over the Windsor Framework.

“Like everyone I want to see responsible devolved government restored,” he told BBC NI’s Good Morning Ulster.

“I recognise there are different concerns that the parties have. Ultimately the only way these issues will be resolved is if we get the institutions back up and running.

“What we have done is say to all the parties there is a generous settlement we can give once the institutions are up and running. The responsibility is on all the parties to reconstitute the Executive.

“I think the Secretary of State for NI is right, we want to see progress, we want to see investment, particularly in the health service in Northern Ireland… but we need to do that in partnership with Northern Ireland’s politicians. The onus is on them. We must see a restored Executive.”

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