Rishi Sunak to visit Northern Ireland amid Stormont political crisis

Devolution has been in flux since February when the DUP withdrew its first minister from the ministerial executive in protest at Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris (back table middle left) with Doug Beattie MLA leader of the UUP (third from left), Matthew O’Toole MLA SDLP leader at Stormont (fourth from left), Sinn Féin Vice President Michelle O’Neill (front left), Jeffrey Donaldson MP Leader of the DUP (front right), Naomi Long MLA and leader of the Alliance Party of NI (second from right) ahead of a meeting at Erskine House, Belfast in Northern Ireland, in an attempt to resolve issues at Stormont (Liam McBurney/PA)

Rishi Sunak is to visit Northern Ireland later on Thursday to meet with politicians, Stormont leaders have said.

The development came after the parties met with UK Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris as the British Government continues to press for a return to powersharing.