Big ask for Government

THE UK Government needs to produce something "seismic" to persuade the DUP to return to powersharing in Northern Ireland, a senior party figure has said.

Former leader Edwin Poots said what was on the table at present was "nowhere near" enough to convince his party to end its blockade on devolution at Stormont.

The DUP has been blocking powersharing for more than a year in protest at the internal UK trade barriers created by Brexit's contentious Northern Ireland Protocol.

The party says the deal struck by the EU and UK to reform the protocol the Windsor Framework does not sufficiently address its concerns and has made clear it will not countenance a return to devolution until the Government provides further assurances, by way of legislation, over Northern Ireland's place within the UK internal market.