Restoring NI's place in the UK internal market will help business community: TUV

Responding to comments made by US ambassador Jane Hartley – who suggested a “sitting government” who encourage American CEOs to consider investing in Northern Ireland – Mr Allister said the restoration of the UK’s internal market should be the first priority.

​Ms Hartley also said she would encourge DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to end his party’s boycott of the powersharing institutions as the issue is important to the US, "and mostly important for the people of Northern Ireland”.

Howevever, Mr Allister said: “The political instability in Northern Ireland has been caused by the [NI] Protocol and anyone who wants to see progress should be looking for Northern Ireland’s place within the UK’s internal market to be restored.

"Unless or until that changes there is no prospect of a return to Stormont as long as unionists remain true to their pledge of Ulster Day two years ago where they said their opposition to the Protocol was ‘unalterable’”.

Mr Allister added: “A restoration of our full place inside the UK will be both good for business and good for the political future of Northern Ireland.”

Speaking to Sunday Politics, Ms Hartley said: "Northern Ireland is an amazing community… but all companies, including American companies, like political stability so if you're talking to a CEO and encouraging them to look at Northern Ireland, which I always do, it would be important to have a sitting government”.