Eastwood: Two weeks enough time to strike Stormont deal

In a statement, party leader Colum Eastwood said the official opening of Brexit talks should “focus minds as to the importance of returning a local Assembly”.

Mr Eastwood said: “The SDLP is clear – two weeks is more than enough time to do the deal. Weekend reports regarding the precarious position of the British prime minister must not stall or delay getting the institutions back up and running.”

On Brexit negotiations, he added: “Brexit is one of the greatest challenges faced by this island since partition yet our local politics has failed to fully engage with its significance and scale.

“The absence of our institutions deprives us of our rightful voice at the Brexit table.”

Mr Eastwood called for “an Irish solution to the Brexit problem”.