Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appealed for “calm on all sides” over the Orange Order parade, saying there have been “big gains made in Northern Ireland, and we don’t want to see things go backwards”.

Speaking on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, he said: “I know it’s a tense situation. We do appeal for calm on all sides.

“There have been big gains made in Northern Ireland, and we don’t want to see things go backwards.

“So, obviously, a challenging situation today, but it’s very important that we work to bring calm.”

He also said there has been a decision taken by the Independent Parades Commission which has been upheld in the courts.

He added: “The job that I have, that the Secretary of Northern Ireland has, is upholding the Good Friday Agreement, and I take that responsibility really seriously. It’s 30 years old next year.

“It’s also the responsibility of the Taoiseach in the Republic of Ireland, and I spoke to him yesterday because we work very closely together on all these matters.”

Meanwhile, speaking to the BBC, the Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant said: “I can imagine that lots of people didn’t sleep very well last night, not least because of course the court case was going on till very late into the night, till 2.30 in the morning.

placeholder image — Prime Minister Andy Burnham appearing on the BBC 1 current affairs programme, Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, during the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool

“I know lots of people will be watching this very, very closely, including people who have long memories of things that happened 30 years ago, and people will be very nervous and anxious.

“So the number one thing I think is people should co-operate with the police. I want everything to pass off as calmly as is possible. I’m speaking to the police obviously on a regular basis throughout the day, and was last night as well, and so is my team.”

He added: “I wish we weren’t in this position. I wish we weren’t looking at relitigating things of the past. But the court decided that the adjudication, the determination of the Parades Commission stood. So it’s important that everybody abides by the law.”

Sir Chris later said he would be leaving Labour’s conference in Liverpool for Belfast on Sunday, telling the BBC: “I’m going to be going back to Belfast this afternoon. I was expecting to be doing things here, but I think most people would expect me to be in Belfast, and that’s where I’ll be.”