DUP boycott of Stormont serves to help prove republican point about Northern Ireland being a failed state, says Sir Reg Empey

He made the comments after a week of renewed calls for the DUP to drop its objections to the Windsor Framework and go back into government as Joe Biden visited Northern Ireland and voiced his hopes for devolution to be resurrected.

The DUP hit back at Lord Empey, saying that if it had taken his attitude, the government would never have felt pressurised into trying to renegotiate the Protocol.

Lord Empey said: “Unionism needs to face up to new realities. The DUP boycott of Stormont has failed.

"Their seven tests are hardly mentioned anymore, because they have not been met.

“The border in the Irish Sea remains, albeit less rigorously imposed.

"The European Court still rules supreme on EU law as it applies in Northern Ireland and Brussels continues to make rules for NI over which neither Westminster nor Stormont have a veto.

"This is the legacy of an ill-thought-through and disastrously-negotiated Brexit. To proceed with a continuing boycott makes no sense.

“Sinn Fein have long argued that 'Northern Ireland is a failed political entity.' What is the logic behind any Unionist action that helps to prove Sinn Fein's point?

“Making Stormont and Northern Ireland not work has to be the very opposite of what is in pro-Union interests.”

Responding, DUP Upper Bann MLA Jonathan Buckley said: "Reg seems more interested in attacking the DUP than standing up to the Government to get a better deal for Northern Ireland. Such an attitude would never have led to a renegotiation of the Protocol.

"Unionism achieves far more when acting cohesively and united rather than manufacturing division.

"All unionists should share the goal of seeing Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom respected and restored.

"It was because of decisive action taken by the DUP that saw the EU return to the negotiating table and progress was secured.”