Focus On 'Day To Day', Not A United Ireland, Sunak Warns
The Independent|February 06, 2024
Rishi Sunak has told Sinn Fein to focus on the day to day” concerns of people in Northern Ireland rather than a referendum on Irish reunification.
ADAM FORREST
Focus On 'Day To Day', Not A United Ireland, Sunak Warns

The PM said “constitutional change” should not be a priority for the Irish nationalist party, after newly appointed first minister Michelle O’Neill claimed a border poll could be held in the next 10 years.

Mr Sunak met Stormont’s party leaders and the Republic of Ireland’s premier Leo Varadkar yesterday after the Northern Ireland Executive reformed on Saturday to end a two-year stalemate.

Mr Sunak said the £3bn funding boost would deliver for Northern Ireland’s families and businesses. “That’s what everyone’s priority is now – it is not constitutional change, it is delivering on the day-to-day things that matter to people.”

The devolved government – headed by Sinn Fein’s Ms O’Neill and the DUP’s Emma Little-Pengelly as deputy first minister – held its first meeting yesterday to start dealing with the province’s strained finances.

The meetings came as Mr Sunak’s Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris told Ms O’Neill that she should focus on improving public services rather than the issue of Irish reunification.

The Tory cabinet minister dismissed the prospect of a border poll after Ms O’Neill claimed one could be held in the next decade. Mr Heaton-Harris said the conditions for a referendum were “definitely not met at this time”.

He told LBC that he would have to be “confident” that there was a potential majority of people in Northern Ireland “who would like to depart from their current constitutional status”.

Esta historia es de la edición February 06, 2024 de The Independent.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición February 06, 2024 de The Independent.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE INDEPENDENTVer todo
Courageous Brighton rock Man City to reach top four
The Independent

Courageous Brighton rock Man City to reach top four

Brighton staged a sensational late fightback to come from behind and send Manchester City to a fourth consecutive defeat with a pulsating 2-1 win at the Amex Stadium.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Doubt creeps in as England.stung at the death again
The Independent

Doubt creeps in as England.stung at the death again

Another week, another heartbreak for England and now serious questions must be asked about the direction of the Steve Borthwick project.

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
'Guys on mopeds were beating up an Israeli... they were looking for Jews'
The Independent

'Guys on mopeds were beating up an Israeli... they were looking for Jews'

Football hooligans and ‘antisemitic hit-and-run squads' made for a volatile Amsterdam atmosphere, reports Barney Davis.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Inside 4B - the women's group going on ‘men strike'
The Independent

Inside 4B - the women's group going on ‘men strike'

Zoë Beaty meets an American who's become a symbol for the growing movement of females rejecting relations with men

time-read
6 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Qatar to suspend mediation efforts on Gaza, say officials
The Independent

Qatar to suspend mediation efforts on Gaza, say officials

Qatar has decided to suspend its key mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel, officials said yesterday, after growing frustration with the lack of progress on a ceasefire deal for Gaza.

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Biden bears brunt of blame game among the Democrats
The Independent

Biden bears brunt of blame game among the Democrats

Fingers are pointing at the president after Donald Trump's sweeping victory - but some strategists argue other factors played a part in Kamala Harris's defeat, writes

time-read
7 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Chief of staff dubbed ice maiden by Trump will keep 'clowns' out of Oval Office
The Independent

Chief of staff dubbed ice maiden by Trump will keep 'clowns' out of Oval Office

Informal advisers that dogged first presidency to be got rid of

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Coroner's warning of cancel culture after student suicide
The Independent

Coroner's warning of cancel culture after student suicide

A coroner has called on the government to examine the prevalence of \"cancel culture\" on university campuses, after ruling that a 20-year-old Oxford student took his own life after being \"ostracised\" by his peers.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
'I did not know you could be born without a uterus'
The Independent

'I did not know you could be born without a uterus'

Andreia Trigo is dedicated to helping others struggling with infertility because of her own diagnosis of MRKH syndrome

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 10, 2024
Healey says Ukraine war inspired son to join army
The Independent

Healey says Ukraine war inspired son to join army

The defence secretary has revealed his son joined the army as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying the conflict is now “personal”.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 10, 2024