Labour's plan to strengthen the Union 'must include dealing with Northern Ireland Protocol': DUP leader

Sir Jeffrey was commenting in response to Labour’s sweeping plans to reshape the economic and political landscape of the United Kingdom.

One of the most radical proposals of the panel, which was led by former prime minister Gordon Brown, is to abolish the “indefensible” House of Lords.

The commission proposed replacing the unelected Upper Chamber with a “smaller, more representative and democratic” assembly of the nations and regions, with the details a matter for further consultation.

Other proposals include new rules for politicians and civil servants, clamping down on MPs’ second jobs and a “powerful” anti-corruption commissioner to root out criminal behaviour in British political life.

In relation to Northern Ireland, the panel said there is a desire for devolution to be “restored and strengthened”.

However, Lagan Valley MP Mr Donaldson said: “Any serious discussion on the future of the Union, cannot ignore the Northern Ireland Protocol and its impact on both the constitutional status of Northern Ireland and the operation of devolution.

"Whilst a legal requirement for Westminster to work with the devolved administrations is welcome, it is meaningless in Northern Ireland unless the basis for devolution to function at all is restored.”

He added: “The Labour Party could make a significant and positive contribution to this debate by making clear that that the Northern Ireland Protocol must be replaced with arrangements that can secure unionist and nationalist support.

"Such progress can not only repair the damage inflicted on Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, but restore the devolved institutions.”

The Labour proposals also recommend creating a ‘New Britain’ by rebalancing the economy to drive up living standards in some of the most deprived areas, and giving more local control over decision-making

The panel called for a new constitutional law setting out how political power should be shared, with a requirement for decisions to be taken “as close as meaningfully possible” to the people affected by them.

There would also be an explicit requirement to rebalance the economy to spread prosperity and investment more equally across the UK.

Meanwhile, Sir Jeffrey’s DUP colleague Gavin Robinson has said unionists have much less to fear from Labour under Keir Starmer than when Jeremy Corbyn headed the shadow cabinet.

The East Belfast MP said: “Keir Starmer knows Northern Ireland. He has had a succession of shadow secretaries of state who have been very competent on Northern Ireland and Keir Starmer has outlined his support for the Union, so the concerns that were there in the run-up to the 2017 [general] election I do not believe continue to pervade the Labour Party in Westminster.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Sir Keir said he could not see the circumstances in which his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn might stand for Labour at the next election.

Mr Corbyn had the Labour whip removed over his response to the equalities’ watchdog’s report into anti-Semitism.

“I don’t see the circumstances in which Jeremy Corbyn will stand as a Labour candidate,” Sir Keir said.

Mr Corbyn has always insisted the party whip was “wrongly removed and it should be reinstated”.