Sinn Fein had ‘fairly tough’ meeting with Boris Johnson, says Mary Lou McDonald

Speaking after a meeting with Mr Johnson at Hillsborough Castle, Ms McDonald said it appears the UK Government’s priority is “placating the DUP”.

“It’s very clear to us that despite all of the rhetoric from the British Government about re-establishing the Executive here in the north, that in fact their priority is placating the DUP,” she said.

“We’ve had what we would describe as a fairly tough meeting with the Prime Minister.

“We have put it to him very directly that the absolute priority is getting government working here in the north.

“People are facing incredible difficulties in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and it’s simply not acceptable, it’s not good enough for anybody, the DUP or the British Government, to hold society here to ransom.

Ms McDonald added of her conversation with Boris Johnson: “We have said directly to him that proposed unilateral act of legislating at Westminster is wrong.

“It seems to us absolutely extraordinary that the British Government would propose to legislate to break the law. It’s an extraordinary proposal and one that would amplify the bad faith with which the Tory government has conducted itself from beginning of the entire Brexit debacle.

“We have told him very clearly that we are here to do business. The people have spoken. We have had the election, the votes have been counted, the die has been cast. Michelle O’Neill is the first minister in waiting and we want to get on with things and get back to business.

“I’m sorry to report that we’ve had no straight answers really from the British Prime Minister except a confirmation of what we already knew, which is that in fact this impasse is entirely co ordinated between themselves and the DUP, and if the DUP are acting shamefully in holding back government, well then the British Government is behaving even more shamefully.”