Lord Hain to PM: 'Nothing more important' than keeping peace process moving

The Labour peer said nothing was more important than ensuring the peace process in Northern Ireland kept moving forward.

He said any break in the peace could be "very dangerous indeed".

Minister Lord Dunlop said the Prime Minister was actively involved in discussions to restore power to the Northern Ireland executive.

But Tory and DUP peers echoed the calls from Lord Hain for Mrs May to intervene, with no sign of talks to restore power sharing reaching a breakthrough.

The comments came as peers heard a statement from Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire, which he had delivered in the Commons earlier on Tuesday.

Lord Hain, who served as Northern Ireland secretary from 2005 to 2007, said he was "puzzled" why there had been no direct Prime Ministerial involvement in the impasse so far.

He said: "At times in the past, a Prime Minister's direct involvement, calling a summit in Hillsborough Castle or wherever it may be, together with the Taoiseach, has been crucial in breaking the gridlock, in bringing parties together and enabling them to find a solution that they were not able to do on their own.

"The Prime Minister may be busy on other things, like Brexit, but there's nothing more important, I would suggest, on her agenda than keeping the peace process in Northern Ireland moving forward.

"If it stalls and if it goes in any sense into reverse, that could be very dangerous indeed."

Lord Hain said a return to direct rule would be "a massive and possibly irreversible setback", while a second election would also "solve absolutely nothing".

Northern Ireland minister Lord Dunlop said: "She (Mrs May), as I have already said, is actively involved and engaged, dealing directly with the Taoiseach, and she and the Taoiseach have mandated the Northern Ireland Secretary and the Irish foreign minister to take forward the support and facilitation of the discussions with the parties.

"That will happen over the coming hours and days, as we seek to get a resolution to these issues."

Lord Cormack, a former Conservative MP, said: "Could I stress, having seen it at first hand, a Prime Ministerial presence in Belfast can be of enormous importance in bringing the parties together?

"Could the Prime Minister not be urged to go, and to invite to Hillsborough all the relevant parties?

"Because if we do not put this right, it would be a disaster for the union."

The DUP's Lord Hay of Ballyore, a former speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, said: "There is an opportunity for the Prime Minister to get involved.

"I know the Prime Minister has got actively involved behind the scenes, but I think her presence in Northern Ireland at this time would help the process."

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