Varadkar: North ‘sliding towards’ direct rule

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned that Northern Ireland is “sliding towards” direct rule from Britain after the collapse of talks between Sinn Féin and the DUP about forming a government.

The warning was repeated by Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney and British secretary for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire.

Mr Varadkar insisted any new direct rule system must be different from the past and “honour” all parts of the 1998 Good Friday agreement.