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Boris Johnson in Northern Ireland for talks over power-sharing deadlock Boris Johnson urges NI parties to 'seal power-sharing deal'
(about 1 hour later)
Boris Johnson has joined political talks in Northern Ireland promising to do "everything in my power" to help efforts to restore the power-sharing government. Boris Johnson has urged political parties in Northern Ireland to step up their efforts to restore power-sharing, during talks in Belfast.
On Wednesday morning the PM began a series of meetings with the five main Stormont parties. The PM held a series of meetings with the five main Stormont parties, in which Brexit was also discussed.
On Tuesday night, Mr Johnson held a private meeting with DUP leader Arlene Foster. On Tuesday night, Mr Johnson held a private meeting with senior DUP figures.
He relies on the party for support in key votes in Parliament.He relies on the party for support in key votes in Parliament.
Speaking as he arrived, Mr Johnson said his prime focus was to do everything he could to help get Stormont "back up and running". The prime minister left Northern Ireland on Wednesday afternoon and a Downing Street spokesperson said Mr Johnson told the parties while there had been constructive progress in the talks at Stormont, "there now needed to be serious and intense engagement to get this done".
"I will be helping the parties in any way I can to help get that over the line," he added. The spokesperson added that Mr Johnson had told the parties the UK would be leaving the EU on 31 October "come what way" and his intention was to do so with a deal.
"I expect Brexit may come up but it's crucial that I attach huge importance to the letter and spirit of the Good Friday Agreement." In all scenarios, the government was committed to the Good Friday Agreement and in no circumstances would there be physical checks or infrastructure on the border, they said.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, DUP leader Arlene Foster gave details about her meeting with the prime minister on Tuesday night. Border poll
They had talked about a shared desire to get a Brexit deal, she said, and that Dublin and Brussels needed to be part of that negotiation. Following her meeting with Mr Johnson, DUP leader Arlene Foster said "talk of a border poll" was not something Boris Johnson was "entertaining".
Mrs Foster said no deal was on the the table because "a very belligerent European Union, who instead of focusing on a deal that was good for all of us, wanted to break-up the United Kingdom". She met the prime minister along with DUP MPs Nigel Dodds, Emma Little-Pengelly and Gavin Robinson.
The issue over what will happen at the land border on the island of Ireland after Brexit - and the proposed Irish backstop - has caused deep divisions between the parties at Stormont. Sinn Féin said if a no-deal Brexit happens, the government must call a referendum on Irish unity "immediately".
But Mrs Foster said the Conservative government would "never be neutral on the union".
She said discussions regarding the confidence and supply pact the two parties share was for "another day" but defended the £1bn in spending for NI the DUP had secured in the past.
The issue over what will happen at the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Brexit - and the proposed Irish backstop - has caused deep divisions between the parties at Stormont.
The backstop is the insurance policy negotiated as part of the UK-EU withdrawal agreement, which aims to keep the border as seamless as it is now and avoid land border checks.
But Mr Johnson has referred to it as a "monstrosity".
'DUP's gopher''DUP's gopher'
Mr Johnson met Sinn Féin first on Wednesday before talks with the smaller parties and further discussions with the DUP.Mr Johnson met Sinn Féin first on Wednesday before talks with the smaller parties and further discussions with the DUP.
After the meeting Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said she told the prime minister he must not be "the DUP's gopher". After the meeting, Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said she told the prime minister he must not be "the DUP's gopher".
Mrs McDonald said she did not believe the PM's claim that he would act with "total impartiality" towards all parties in NI. Ms McDonald said she did not believe the PM's claim he would act with "total impartiality" towards all parties in NI.
"It's not our business who dines with whom, but the politics of this is the DUP have used this to ensure... the continuing denial of rights and trample on the views of the majority of people who live here," added Mrs McDonald."It's not our business who dines with whom, but the politics of this is the DUP have used this to ensure... the continuing denial of rights and trample on the views of the majority of people who live here," added Mrs McDonald.
As the talks were taking place, a number of protestors gathered outside, including a group of Harland and Wolff shipyard workers who are lobbying the government to renationalise their workplace.As the talks were taking place, a number of protestors gathered outside, including a group of Harland and Wolff shipyard workers who are lobbying the government to renationalise their workplace.
The Belfast firm's Norwegian parent company Dolphin Drilling is having serious financial problems and put Harland and Wolff up for sale late last year.The Belfast firm's Norwegian parent company Dolphin Drilling is having serious financial problems and put Harland and Wolff up for sale late last year.
They were joined at Stormont by Irish language campaigners and the families of those killed in Ballymurphy in 1971 with others calling for government action on legacy issues. They were joined at Stormont by Irish language campaigners, anti-Brexit protestors and the families of those killed in Ballymurphy in 1971 with others calling for government action on legacy issues.
Stormont talksStormont talks
Northern Ireland hasn't been ruled directly from Westminster for more than a decade, but it has been without a government since 2017. Northern Ireland has not been ruled directly from Westminster for more than a decade, but it has been without a government since 2017.
Several attempts to kick-start devolution have already failed.Several attempts to kick-start devolution have already failed.
The DUP is due to renew the confidence-and-supply agreement on which Mr Johnson's Conservative Party depends for a working majority in the House of Commons.The DUP is due to renew the confidence-and-supply agreement on which Mr Johnson's Conservative Party depends for a working majority in the House of Commons.
Mr Johnson has insisted the UK must leave the EU by 31 October "no matter what", even if that means without a deal.
But here have been stark warnings about the impact of a no-deal Brexit on Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland is crucial in the Brexit debate because of the border it shares with the Republic of Ireland, which will become the UK's only land border with the EU after Brexit.
The backstop is the insurance policy negotiated as part of the UK-EU withdrawal agreement, which aims to keep the border as seamless as it is now and avoid land border checks.
But Mr Johnson has referred to it as a "monstrosity".
Speaking to the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar by phone on Tuesday, he said it must be "abolished" from any Brexit deal.
The DUP is also in favour of the backstop being scrapped, but it is at odds with the majority of Northern Ireland's political parties, as well as business and farming groups who maintain it would minimise disruption to trade and protect jobs.