Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Northern Ireland to begin talks with political leaders in a bid to recover devolution

It is the prime minister’s first visit since taking office, and according to Downing Street part of the trip is aimed at promoting the UK government’s investment in the prosperity and future of Northern Ireland.

The visit comes on the heels of parties meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris yesterday.

The prime minister’s office described the talks that Mr Sunak would be holding with party leaders as “discussions on solutions to resurrect the Stormont executive”.

Devolution has been in flux since February when the DUP withdrew its first minister from the ministerial executive in protest at Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol.

Another issue that featured in the cross-party discussions in Belfast yesterday was the continued uncertainty over when £600 Treasury-funded energy support payments will be rolled out to householders in Northern Ireland.

Speaking after the meeting with Mr Heaton-Harris, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: “We covered a wide range of issues, including the ongoing negotiations between the UK government and the European Union.

“There’s very little to report on that.

“We want to see progress made, we want to see a ramping up of these talks, to try and get to a solution.”

Sir Jeffrey added: “I hope we will hear from the prime minister a renewal of his commitment to resolving the issues around the protocol, taking the decisive action that is needed to restore Northern Ireland’s places in the UK internal market.”

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill said the government had no plan on how to restore Stormont.

She said: “I think he (Mr Heaton-Harris) is bereft of a plan. Even at this stage, we’re still left in political limbo.

“There was no concrete proposals as to how they’re going to reach an agreed way forward on the protocol.”

Speaking about Mr Sunak’s visit, Ms O’Neill said: “I want a political meeting with the British prime minister.

“I want to know what he’s doing to get the £600 into people’s pockets. I want to know what he’s doing to secure a deal on the protocol and negotiate a way forward.

“So I have no desire to have tea and sympathy with the prime minister, what I want to see is a political outcome to such an engagement.”

Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry said progress on talks about the protocol between the UK government and the EU had been “painfully slow”.

He said: “Much to our frustration the protocol has become the main obstacle to the restoration of an executive.

“The government needs to get its ducks in a row in that respect.”

Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said: “Nothing has changed, nothing has gone any further forward.

“We asked for an update on the protocol, we didn’t get it.”

SDLP Stormont leader Matthew O’Toole said: “Unfortunately, today’s meeting did not have any concrete actions or proposals around getting an executive formed.”

The DUP has blocked the formation of a new administration following May’s assembly election and prevented the assembly meeting to conduct legislative business as part of its protest over the protocol.

It claims the protocol has undermined Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom by creating economic barriers on trade entering the Province from Great Britain.

The party has insisted it will not allow a return to power-sharing until radical changes to the protocol are delivered.

Last week, Mr Heaton-Harris cut the pay of MLAs by 27.5% to reflect the fact they are not doing their jobs as legislators.

If a new executive is not formed by January 19, the government assumes a legal responsibility to call a snap Assembly election by April 13.