Sinn Fein pulls out of protocol meeting after party leader ‘excluded’

Sinn Fein has dramatically withdrawn from roundtable talks with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly over the Northern Ireland Protocol, claiming party leader Mary Lou McDonald was excluded from attending.

The Belfast talks, which were also to include Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and focus on the Stormont powersharing crisis, will now be overshadowed by the row.

The Government ministers had been expected to meet representatives of all the main parties in Northern Ireland to discuss the impact of the post-Brexit protocol.

But Sinn Fein pulled out after the party said Mrs McDonald, who is a TD in the Dail, would not be allowed to attend.

A party spokesperson said: “In an extraordinary turn of events last night we were informed that the British government is excluding the Sinn Fein party leader Mary Lou McDonald from today’s meeting.

“This is a time for inclusion, dialogue and engagement. This is a time for mature and civil politics.

“There is no room for bad faith and petulance from the British government.

“We look forward to engaging with the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the British Labour leader Keir Starmer tomorrow.”

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill accused the British government of “bad faith and petulance”.

She tweeted: “This is a time for inclusion, dialogue and engagement.

“There is serious and urgent work to be done. This is a time for mature and civil politics.

“There’s no room for bad faith and petulance from the British government.”

Foreign secretary James Cleverly, who has has said post-Brexit trading issues which “risk and undermine” Northern Ireland’s place within the UK must be addressed (Lucy North/PA)

A UK Government spokesperson said: “This meeting is for Northern Ireland politicians to talk through issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol with SOSNI and the UK Foreign Secretary.

“The leader of Sinn Fein in the Assembly (Michelle O’Neill) was invited and remains invited.

“Her attendance is a matter for Sinn Fein but she was not excluded.”

Unionist parties and the cross-community Alliance Party have said they will proceed with the talks, but the nationalist SDLP said it would not attend.

Powersharing at Stormont has been suspended since last year (Liam McBurney/PA)

Devolution in Northern Ireland has been in flux since last February when the DUP, the region’s largest unionist party, withdrew its First Minister from the ministerial executive in protest at the protocol.

The party has made clear it will not allow a return to powersharing until radical changes to the protocol are delivered.

It claims the treaty has undermined Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom by creating economic barriers on trade entering the region from Great Britain.

However, earlier this week progress between the EU and the UK on post-Brexit data-sharing was hailed as a positive step in ongoing talks to find a solution to the row.

The Government ministers will also meet business groups as part of their efforts to understand the impact the protocol has had on trade. The Government said these meetings would help inform ongoing talks with the EU.

Their visit will include a tour of Saintfield Garden Centre and Nursery.

Speaking earlier, Mr Cleverly said: “My preference is for a negotiated solution, but the UK’s priority is protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and preserving political stability in Northern Ireland.

“I am listening to the concerns of people and businesses in Northern Ireland and am keenly aware that the current situation isn’t working.

“We need to address those issues with the protocol that risk and undermine the place of NI in the UK.”

Mr Heaton-Harris said: “A solution to the problems created by the Northern Ireland Protocol is clearly desired by all across business and in government.

“As the Foreign Secretary has said, the Government is committed to resolving these problems as soon as possible.

“I am firmly of the belief too that what people in Northern Ireland want most is to see their elected politicians back at work.

“Accountable political leadership is fundamental to secure a sustainable future for all in NI.”

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the DUP, said unionists did not support the NI Protocol (Liam McBurney/PA)

Speaking ahead of meeting the Government ministers, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the protocol “was not, is not and will not be supported by unionists”.

He added: “While some may be focused on short-term fixes, that will not work for the people of Northern Ireland.

“The restoration of devolved government is only made sustainable when the protocol is replaced by arrangements that restore Northern Ireland’s constitutional and economic place within the United Kingdom.”

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic met with the Foreign Secretary this week (Rob Pinney/PA)

The visit follows Mr Cleverly’s meeting with Vice President of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovic, on Monday, where they reached an agreement on the way forward regarding the EU’s access to UK IT systems that provide live information about what goods are moving across from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Later in the week, Northern Ireland political leaders are due to hold separate talks with Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.