DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says there is a 'bubble' at the Agreement 25 conference at Queen’s University, Belfast

“I think the mood in London is rather different from the Queen’s University bubble that we’ve seen for the last few days,” he said.

“There is a realism in London that frankly there isn’t at the event at Queens. A realism that we need to sort this out, that whilst we’ll have lots of people who will tell us what the problem is, I haven’t heard anyone come forward with a solution.

“Except, of course, those who want to exclude unionists, who think the answer is to abandon cross-community powersharing, especially the Alliance party.

“Frankly, I think it’s amazing after 25 years that the so-called bridge builders are in favour of abandoning cross-community consensus in Northern Ireland.

“That’s not for the DUP, we believe that’s the way forward, it gives us the solid foundations for the restoration of Stormont and that’s what we need to get.”

‘Gateway has bars and locks on it’

Sir Jeffrey responded to EC president Ursula von der Leyen’s statement that the Windsor Framework is a “gateway to a bright future”.

“It’s a pity that the gateway has bars and locks on it and checks, and all kinds of things that we need to see removed, if Northern Ireland is going to have unfettered access to our own internal market,” he said.

“That’s simply all we’re asking of our own Government, to respect the integrity of its own internal market, to stand up for the union, to be the Prime Minister for all of the United Kingdom.

“I think the Prime Minister will respond to that, I am hopeful that what we will hear from the Prime Minister is something more positive and forward looking, something that is more inclusive than what we heard yesterday from the Secretary of State.”

Heaton-Harris approach ‘entirely counterproductive’

Sir Jeffrey said the Secretary of State’s approach was “entirely counterproductive”.

“If Chris Heaton-Harris thinks that berating unionists on a public platform of this nature is going to find the solution that we need to get Stormont restored, then I think someone should take him aside and give him a lesson in peacebuilding and in quiet diplomacy,” he said.

“Because that’s the way we’re going to resolve these issues, not shouting from platforms at each other. Put away the megaphone and let’s sit down with the Government and unionists, and other parties for that matter too, and let’s sort out these problems.

“That’s where the solution will be found, it will be found in those quiet conversations that enable us to get to the solution we need to see Stormont restored, that’s what we want.”