DUP MP urges Michael Gove to 'wake up' to concerns of unionists around NI Protocol

Jim Shannon made his comments in response to a claim made by Mr Gove, that the Windsor Framework agreement has “effectively" addressed unionists’s concerns about their status within the UK.​Mr Shannon said that Tory minister, he describes as having made "strident" commitments on the Union in the past."If anyone should understand the opinion of unionists it should be him," Mr Shannon said.The DUP is blocking the devolved institutions at Stormont in protest against the NI Protocol, which created trade barriers between the region and the rest of the UK.The Government agreed the Windsor Framework with the EU earlier this year in an attempt to alleviate those concerns, but the DUP has insisted it will not return to Stormont until it secures further legislative assurances around sovereignty and trade.Mr Gove said his cabinet colleague NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris would be continuing to offer the DUP “reassurance and encouragement” to return to the Stormont assembly.Mr Gove was representing the Westminster government at a summit meeting of the British-Irish Council in Jersey.Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was also in attendance but there were no representatives from NI political parties.Mr Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, said the council members regretted the absence of Northern Ireland politicians at the summit.He added: “The overwhelming majority of people in Northern Ireland want to see the institutions working for them."Whether it is housing or health, whether we can get devolution fully restored, the executive operating effectively, ministers from every party and tradition playing their part, then Northern Ireland citizens will benefit.

"I respect the concerns that the DUP have expressed in the past. The Windsor Framework, I believe, addresses those concerns effectively.”Mr Gove added: “The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will continue to listen respectfully to their points and we will seek to provide them with both the reassurance and the encouragement necessary in order to take their place once again around the ministerial table.” Mr Varadkar said: “I think above all we need to redouble our efforts to ensure that the Northern Ireland executive and Northern Ireland assembly are up and running.”However, Mr Shannon told the News Letter: "Mr Gove is probably referencing the opinion of Rishi Sunak and the whole of the NIO team, who seem to be unwilling at this moment in time to show any movement whatsoever. It's time a bit of reality crept in for Conservative Party members."We should be trying to find an accommodation that addresses the concerns of unionists."What we have at the moment is an accommodation that addresses the concerns of nationalists, and we don't have one that addresses the concerns of unionism, so it really is time for Michael Gove to wake up."