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| Boris Johnson: Shailesh Vara replaces Brandon Lewis as NI Secretary | Boris Johnson: Shailesh Vara replaces Brandon Lewis as NI Secretary |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Shailesh Vara was previously a minister in the Northern Ireland Office for five months | Shailesh Vara was previously a minister in the Northern Ireland Office for five months |
| Shailesh Vara is to replace Brandon Lewis after he resigned as Northern Ireland secretary. | Shailesh Vara is to replace Brandon Lewis after he resigned as Northern Ireland secretary. |
| Mr Lewis was among previously-loyal cabinet ministers who told the prime minister on Wednesday that he needed to step down from office due to a loss in support. | Mr Lewis was among previously-loyal cabinet ministers who told the prime minister on Wednesday that he needed to step down from office due to a loss in support. |
| Mr Johnson announced his resignation on Thursday. | Mr Johnson announced his resignation on Thursday. |
| A new prime minister will be in place in time for the Tory party conference in October. | A new prime minister will be in place in time for the Tory party conference in October. |
| A Conservative leadership contest will take place this summer, and in the meantime, Mr Johnson will continue as prime minister, he said. | A Conservative leadership contest will take place this summer, and in the meantime, Mr Johnson will continue as prime minister, he said. |
| Mr Vara was previously a minister in the Northern Ireland Office for five months before quitting in protest at former prime minister Theresa May's proposed deal with the EU in November 2018. | |
| He described his return to the Northern Ireland Office as a "huge privilege". | |
| A huge privilege to return to the Northern Ireland Office as Secretary of State. Having served previously in the Department I recognise the immense contribution of Northern Ireland, and its people, to the UK and I look forward to representing those interests at the Cabinet table. | |
| Brandon Lewis became Northern Ireland Secretary in February 2020. | Brandon Lewis became Northern Ireland Secretary in February 2020. |
| He had faced criticism from political parties over his handling of the power-sharing crisis at Stormont and the Northern Ireland Protocol. | He had faced criticism from political parties over his handling of the power-sharing crisis at Stormont and the Northern Ireland Protocol. |
| Painful not to stay as PM, says Johnson | Painful not to stay as PM, says Johnson |
| Boris Johnson's controversial NI legacy | Boris Johnson's controversial NI legacy |
| Johnson, Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol | Johnson, Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol |
| Stand-out moments and limited time for Lewis in NI | Stand-out moments and limited time for Lewis in NI |
| Mr Lewis tweeted on Thursday that a "decent and responsible" government relies on "honesty, integrity and mutual respect". | Mr Lewis tweeted on Thursday that a "decent and responsible" government relies on "honesty, integrity and mutual respect". |
| He said it was a matter of profound personal regret that he "must leave" government as "I no longer believe those values are being upheld". | He said it was a matter of profound personal regret that he "must leave" government as "I no longer believe those values are being upheld". |
| Shailesh Vara was a little known Northern Ireland Office minister in 2018 until he delivered the first blow against Theresa May's Brexit deal. | Shailesh Vara was a little known Northern Ireland Office minister in 2018 until he delivered the first blow against Theresa May's Brexit deal. |
| He resigned after just five months in the job, because he said the proposed deal would leave the UK in a "halfway house" with the EU - still obeying its custom rules. | He resigned after just five months in the job, because he said the proposed deal would leave the UK in a "halfway house" with the EU - still obeying its custom rules. |
| He also warned that Northern Ireland would be subject to a "different relationship with the EU from the rest of the UK" and he added the "constitutional integrity of the UK must be respected". | He also warned that Northern Ireland would be subject to a "different relationship with the EU from the rest of the UK" and he added the "constitutional integrity of the UK must be respected". |
| Almost four years on, he will now be the man steering the government's controversial protocol bill through the House of Commons over the next fortnight. | Almost four years on, he will now be the man steering the government's controversial protocol bill through the House of Commons over the next fortnight. |
| And if he is given the job of secretary of state full-time, when the next leader comes along he will oversee its passage into law. | And if he is given the job of secretary of state full-time, when the next leader comes along he will oversee its passage into law. |
| As a hardline Brexiteer his appointment will please the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and other unionists hoping to see the protocol changed. | As a hardline Brexiteer his appointment will please the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and other unionists hoping to see the protocol changed. |
| But much will depend on who his new boss will be in Number 10. | But much will depend on who his new boss will be in Number 10. |
| In his letter to the prime minister, Mr Lewis said a decision to leave government is "never taken lightly particularly at such a critical time for Northern Ireland". | In his letter to the prime minister, Mr Lewis said a decision to leave government is "never taken lightly particularly at such a critical time for Northern Ireland". |
| He said he had "served loyally" and defended the government "both publicly and privately". | He said he had "served loyally" and defended the government "both publicly and privately". |
| A decent and responsible Government relies on honesty, integrity and mutual respect - it is a matter of profound personal regret that I must leave Government as I no longer believe those values are being upheld.I have submitted my letter of resignation to the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/EG6u52BdDc | A decent and responsible Government relies on honesty, integrity and mutual respect - it is a matter of profound personal regret that I must leave Government as I no longer believe those values are being upheld.I have submitted my letter of resignation to the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/EG6u52BdDc |
| "We are however, now past the point of no return. | "We are however, now past the point of no return. |
| "I cannot sacrifice my personal integrity to defend things as they stand now. | "I cannot sacrifice my personal integrity to defend things as they stand now. |
| "It is clear that our party, parliamentary colleagues, volunteers and the whole country deserve better." | "It is clear that our party, parliamentary colleagues, volunteers and the whole country deserve better." |
| Mr Lewis was the first cabinet minister to quit on Thursday. | Mr Lewis was the first cabinet minister to quit on Thursday. |
| The prime minister sacked Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove in a shock move on Wednesday, | The prime minister sacked Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove in a shock move on Wednesday, |
| His sacking came after more than 40 ministers and aides resigned - a record for a 24-hour period. | His sacking came after more than 40 ministers and aides resigned - a record for a 24-hour period. |
| The wave of resignations from the government and Conservative Party exceeded 50 on Thursday morning. | The wave of resignations from the government and Conservative Party exceeded 50 on Thursday morning. |
| Northern Ireland Office minister Conor Burns tweeted on Thursday that he would lead for the government at the meeting of the British-Irish Council on Friday. | Northern Ireland Office minister Conor Burns tweeted on Thursday that he would lead for the government at the meeting of the British-Irish Council on Friday. |
| He said it was vital that the job at the Northern Ireland Office "continues to be done". | He said it was vital that the job at the Northern Ireland Office "continues to be done". |
| Analysis: Big moments and limited time for Lewis | Analysis: Big moments and limited time for Lewis |
| Brandon Lewis' stand-out quote came while he was on his feet in the House of Commons in 2020. | Brandon Lewis' stand-out quote came while he was on his feet in the House of Commons in 2020. |
| Speaking to MPs about the government's plan to break international law in amending the Brexit deal with the EU, he said the plan was to do so in a "very specific and limited way". | Speaking to MPs about the government's plan to break international law in amending the Brexit deal with the EU, he said the plan was to do so in a "very specific and limited way". |
| His legacy in Northern Ireland could be remembered in the same way. | His legacy in Northern Ireland could be remembered in the same way. |
| Limited because he only spent two-and-a-half years in the job and much of that time focused on dealing with the pandemic. | Limited because he only spent two-and-a-half years in the job and much of that time focused on dealing with the pandemic. |
| But there were specific stand-out moments, some of which will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. | But there were specific stand-out moments, some of which will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. |
| Read more here. | Read more here. |
| The issues facing Northern Ireland | The issues facing Northern Ireland |
| The key issues filling the in-tray of the new Northern Ireland secretary include the Northern Ireland Protocol legislation, a controversial bill aimed at ending Troubles legacy prosecutions and the restoration of devolution at Stormont. | The key issues filling the in-tray of the new Northern Ireland secretary include the Northern Ireland Protocol legislation, a controversial bill aimed at ending Troubles legacy prosecutions and the restoration of devolution at Stormont. |
| The UK government has faced strong criticism from the EU over its move to unilaterally override the Northern Ireland Protocol. | The UK government has faced strong criticism from the EU over its move to unilaterally override the Northern Ireland Protocol. |
| The protocol is part of the Brexit deal which was agreed by the prime minister in 2019 and subsequently ratified by Parliament. | The protocol is part of the Brexit deal which was agreed by the prime minister in 2019 and subsequently ratified by Parliament. |
| However, the government says it is now causing too many practical and political difficulties. | However, the government says it is now causing too many practical and political difficulties. |
| The EU says the UK's move to change the deal is a breach of international law. | The EU says the UK's move to change the deal is a breach of international law. |
| Government plans to override parts of the Brexit deal relating to Northern Ireland passed their first hurdle in Parliament last month. | Government plans to override parts of the Brexit deal relating to Northern Ireland passed their first hurdle in Parliament last month. |
| Controversial legislation aimed at ending Troubles legacy prosecutions has also passed its stages in the House of Commons, despite ongoing political opposition. | Controversial legislation aimed at ending Troubles legacy prosecutions has also passed its stages in the House of Commons, despite ongoing political opposition. |
| The bill offers a conditional amnesty to those accused of killings and other Troubles-related crimes. | The bill offers a conditional amnesty to those accused of killings and other Troubles-related crimes. |
| It will proceed to the House of Lords in the autumn to face further scrutiny. | It will proceed to the House of Lords in the autumn to face further scrutiny. |
| No MPs from Northern Ireland support the bill, which has also been criticised by groups representing victims and relatives. | No MPs from Northern Ireland support the bill, which has also been criticised by groups representing victims and relatives. |
| The other crucial matter facing the new secretary of state is the restoration of the political institutions in Northern Ireland. | The other crucial matter facing the new secretary of state is the restoration of the political institutions in Northern Ireland. |
| Sinn Féin won the most seats in the May assembly election, but the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which came second, is refusing to re-enter a power-sharing executive until the party's concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol have been addressed. | Sinn Féin won the most seats in the May assembly election, but the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which came second, is refusing to re-enter a power-sharing executive until the party's concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol have been addressed. |