Stormont revival talks: DUP MP Sammy Wilson says government position on Irish Sea border remains 'unsatisfactory' and that party will not be swayed by £3.3bn 'bribe'

​East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson, the party’s Westminster spokesman on Brexit matters, was speaking after the government said this week that its talks with the party were “effectively concluded”.

The government has been tight-lipped about just what stage the negotiations over the Windsor Framework / Northern Ireland Protocol are at – as have the DUP.

Mr Wilson said he does want to embark on a “public negotiation” conducted via the press, and did not want to go into specific details, “other than to say that what's offered will not resolve the issues – that's why we haven't agreed any of the deal, and we'll keep on pressing”.

He added: “They know what needs to be done and they've got to address those issues. I mean, the border in the Irish Sea has to go.

"We've seen in the past two weeks in parliament, first of all, the Rwanda bill couldn't apply fully to Northern Ireland, and where the animal rights / transport of live animals bill could not apply in Northern Ireland either.

"It's every week, I reckon, we're now going to find a new bit of legislation which applies to England, Scotland and Wales will not apply to Northern Ireland, and that situation can't continue.

"I don't want to talk about the detail... other than to say it is not satisfactory.

"If the government doesn't want to meet the reasonable demands we are making as unionists, then we will continue not to operate an Assembly where our views are ignored.”

Do others in the party feel the same, and are there enough of them to overcome those who feel otherwise?

"I think the fact we haven't struck a deal shows we are agreed on this,” said Mr Wilson.

"There'll always be people who have got different emphases, but the thing is, the party has an agreed position at the minute that this is not sufficient, and the government has to do more on this.

"Our actions are not unreasonable. Don't forget: Sinn Fein stayed out for three years over a tawdry Irish language act. This is about the future of the Union.”

He also indicated that the financial package on offer – mooted by the government to be worth about £3.3bn – is also unsatisfactory, and in any case is “totally separate” from the Windsor Framework side of the talks.

“Quite honestly, the financial package is not part of any deal we'll be seeking to get from the government,” he said, likening it to “a bribe”.

“And by the way – a lot of it is smoke and mirrors,” Mr Wilson added.

"A lot of the money is money they have already given us, and are now building into the ‘package’.

"Some of the money is simply payments we rolled over for a longer period of time and which the Assembly will eventually have to make payment for anyway.”