London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 14, 2025

NI Secretary of State Brandon Lewis to meet political leaders

NI Secretary of State Brandon Lewis to meet political leaders

The Northern Ireland Secretary of State Brandon Lewis will hold talks on Monday with the five main parties.

He has said he hopes to encourage them to form an executive as soon as possible.

Mr Lewis is also due to speak to the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney about the outcome of last week's election.

Sinn Féin won the most seats, 27, and are entitled to the position of First Minister.

However, the main unionist party the Democratic Unionists (DUP) are not prepared to re-enter a power-sharing executive until their concerns are addressed over the post-Brexit trading deal, the Northern Ireland protocol.

Newly elected members of the assembly have been invited to Stormont on Monday but there will be no meeting in the chamber. A first sitting may take place on Thursday.

Of the 90 politicians elected last week, 18 are entering the legislative assembly for the first time. Eleven of them are from the Alliance Party including the outgoing Lord Mayor of Belfast, Kate Nicholl.

An induction programme is being offered to all those arriving at Stormont to take up their seats.


'Stable and accountable'


Brandon Lewis will hold talks with the leaders of Sinn Fein, the DUP, Alliance Party, Ulster Unionist Party and the SDLP.

Speaking ahead of the meetings, he said the people of Northern Ireland "deserve a stable and accountable devolved government" and he would urge party leaders to form an executive as soon as possible.

"This process must begin with the nomination of an Assembly Speaker to allow legislation to progress and address the important issues affecting the people of Northern Ireland.

"We have to address the outstanding issues relating to the Northern Ireland Protocol, and we want to do that by agreement with the EU, but as we have always made clear, we will not shy away from taking further steps if necessary," he said.


Will the DUP take its seats?


It is still not clear whether the DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP will take his seat at Stormont, or hand it over to a party colleague and stay at Westminster.

If he decides to remain as an MP, it will be seen as a sign that he feels the Stormont stalemate will continue for the foreseeable future.

The DUP lost three seats in last week's election but fared better than some opinion polls had predicted. With 25 MLAs, it is the second largest party in the assembly.

All eyes will be on Sir Jeffrey Donaldson for his next move


The Alliance Party increased its representation from 8 to 17 seats. It moves ahead of the Ulster Unionist Party which has 9 seats and the SDLP, which slipped from 12 to 8 seats.

The Green party lost its two seats, but the TUV leader Jim Allister retained his place at Stormont as did Gerry Carroll of People Before Profit and two independent unionists, Claire Sugden and Alex Easton.

Although Sinn Féin is the largest party, there are still more unionists than nationalists at Stormont, 37 to 35.

The new assembly is the seventh to be formed since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
×