PM ‘in cahoots’ with DUP on Stormont blocking tactics, Sinn Fein claims

By David Young, PA

Sinn Fein has accused the UK Government of conniving with the DUP to deliberately block power-sharing at Stormont.

Party president Mary Lou McDonald claimed Prime Minister Boris Johnson was “in cahoots with the DUP” in preventing the formation of a new Executive and Assembly in Belfast.

Ms McDonald alleged Mr Johnson was “recklessly and cynically” facilitating the DUP as part of a “game of brinkmanship” with the EU over Brexit’s contentious Northern Ireland Protocol.

Her comments following a meeting of Sinn Fein’s ruling council (ard chomhairle) in Dublin come ahead of Mr Johnson’s anticipated visit to Belfast on Monday to hold talks with the region’s political leaders.

In the wake of last week’s Assembly election, the DUP has refused to re-enter a power-sharing executive in protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements that have created barriers on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Under Stormont rules, a new administration cannot be formed without the participation of the largest unionist party.

Addressing reporters in Dublin, Ms McDonald said: “The DUP have not simply called a halt to the formation of an Executive, they have equally attempted to place a veto on the operation of the Assembly.