Tributes paid to Colum Eastwood for work to restore Stormont institutions

Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill has paid tribute to outgoing SDLP leader Colum Eastwood (Niall Carson/PA)

Outgoing SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has been praised for his years of work to restore the Stormont powersharing institutions by Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill.

Taoiseach Simon Harris, DUP leader Gavin Robinson and the British secretary for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn were also among those paying tribute to Mr Eastwood, who has announced he will step down at his party conference in October.