‘All conditions now in place’ to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland, says minister
The government believes “all the conditions are now in place” for a return of power-sharing in Northern Ireland following a deal reached with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said he was looking forward to the “restoration of the institutions at Stormont as soon as possible” following a near two-year suspension by the DUP in protest against post-Brexit trade arrangements.
Politics latest: Stormont power-sharing deal struck
Mr Heaton-Harris, who said the deal represented a “significant development, denied the agreement was a “secret” deal in response to a question from Sky News.
Asked by deputy political editor Sam Coates what had changed, and whether there were going to be fewer checks on goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, the minister replied: “There are some significant changes but you’ll have to wait until the… all-party talks are finalised.
“And when I publish the deal in parliament, everyone will see what it is.”
Pressed on whether there could be a deal on the basis of a “secret package?”, Mr Heaton-Harris said: “It’s not a secret package.
“It’s been a negotiation, and the negotiation has been between the Democratic Unionist Party and the UK government.”
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DUP agrees to new power-sharing plan
The Northern Ireland secretary said all of the parties in Northern Ireland were not being briefed on the deal and that he would be in a position to reveal the details once they had been finalised.
Although he did not reveal specific details, Mr Heaton Harris confirmed a financial package of £3.3bn will be available to the incoming executive.
“I believe that all the conditions are now in place for the Assembly to return, and I look forward very much to the restoration of the institutions at Stormont as soon as possible,” he said.
He also praised DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson for his “leadership” and said it has “never been in doubt” that Sir Jeffrey’s “prime concern was to secure and reinforce Northern Ireland’s place in the union”.
In the early hours of this morning Sir Jeffrey said his party would restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland, subject to the UK government tabling and passing new legislative measures as agreed in negotiations.
Ministers are walking a tightrope to get Stormont up and running
The government is walking the wobbliest of tightropes to try and get Stormont back up and running.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has just welcomed the DUP decision to go back into Stormont.
But he has done so on the basis of a deal that the other parties in Northern Ireland, MPs and the EU haven’t seen.
Indeed the people making the decision on Monday night – the DUP executive – haven’t seen it either.
Mr Heaton-Harris simply wouldn’t be drawn on specifics – was DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson right to say there would be no checks at all on goods from NI to GB? He simply said we’d have to wait to tomorrow to see the deal.
Why the secrecy – fear of DUP having second thoughts? Fear of the EU claiming this is a breach of the Windsor Framework?
Just because they’re delaying answers to these questions doesn’t mean we won’t get them.
He said the package of measures, once delivered, would provide the basis for the return of devolved government.
Power-sharing, the mechanism by which a Stormont executive is formed under the Good Friday Agreement, was collapsed by the DUP‘s refusal to allow a speaker to be nominated in 2022.
The DUP, which won fewer seats than the republican Sinn Fein party for the first time in 2022’s election, highlighted its opposition to Rishi Sunak’s Windsor Framework deal with the EU, which it argues has created a border down the Irish Sea, separating Northern Ireland from Great Britain – a contravention of its principles.
Speaking after Mr Heaton-Harris’s conference, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly had been “a long time coming”, but added: “We are very pleased we are at this juncture.”
She went on to say she was aware there further work to be done and that “society has really suffered from the absence of government over the last two years”.
“I very much welcome the fact that the DUP have moved to explicitly recognise and respect the outcome of that Assembly election, and we look forward to getting the job done.”
When the executive is restored, Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill is set to become Northern Ireland’s first nationalist first minister – which Ms McDonald described as “a mark, I suppose, of the extent of change that has occurred here in the north, and indeed, right across Ireland”.
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‘Stormont can’t be short-changed’
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long also said she had “bittersweet emotions” following the announcement of the deal.
Read more:
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Northern Ireland Assembly: What is power sharing and why is the system used?
“I am pleased that we are now potentially in a position to see the restoration of the institutions and to be able to actually start doing all of our jobs after a two-year block on that,” she said.
“I admit I am still slightly stinging from the fact that we have lost that two years, that the damage that has been done can’t simply be undone.”
Under the Good Friday agreement, Northern Ireland operates under a power-sharing model where at least two parties agree to govern together to form a government.
The executive is made up of the job of first minister and deputy first minister.
Following the 2022 election result, in which Sinn Feinn emerged as the largest party, Ms O’Neill is set to be first minister while the DUP will pick the deputy first minister.
The prime minister has acknowledged Britons’ cost-of-living struggles in his Christmas message – and vowed that helping with the issue is his “priority”.
Sir Keir Starmer also urged members of the public to “each do our bit” and “reach out” to friends, relatives and neighbours during the festive period.
His message comes at the end of a difficult year for his government, with economic growth stuttering and Chancellor Rachel Reeves facing criticism over tax rises in the budget.
In a message recorded inside 10 Downing Street, Sir Keir said: “I know many across Britain are still struggling with the cost of living. Helping with that is my priority.
“But at this time of the year, which celebrates love and abundance, loss or hardship can feel even more acute.
“So call around to a neighbour. Check in on a friend or a relative who you haven’t heard from for a while. Reach out. It can make a huge difference.
“That is what Christmas is about.”
Sir Keir Starmer delivers his Christmas message from inside Downing Street. Pic: Downing Street
The prime minister thanked NHS workers along with members of the military and the emergency services who will be on duty on Christmas Day.
“Just as so many put their feet up, some truly special people will be pulling on their uniforms and heading out to work,” he said.
“Our NHS staff emergency services and the brave men and women of our armed forces, all playing their part, doing their bit to care for the nation and to keep us safe.
“Many volunteers will be out there as well. Serving food. Reaching out to help those lonely or in need.
“So on behalf of the whole country, I want to say a big thank you.
“As a nation, we should raise a glass to you this Christmas. But more than that, we should each do our bit as well.”
Read more from Sky News:
How does your Christmas compare to rest of UK? Take our quiz
The famous faces we said goodbye to this year
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch used her Christmas message to talk about “Christian values” and thanked “everyone who has supported me during my first year as leader of the opposition”.
“It’s been the biggest challenge of my life,” she said. “But it’s also been a wonderful year. I can’t wait to get back to work next year to create a better United Kingdom.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey spoke about the Christmas tree in London’s Trafalgar Square – an annual gift from Norway to thank the UK for its support during the Second World War – in his message.
While saying the tree may “look a little underwhelming” on first glance, the Liberal Democrat leader said it was a reminder of “friendship and loyalty”.
He added: “It makes me think about people standing together in tough times – whether against the Nazis in the 1940s, or right now in Ukraine.
“And yeah, it might not be perfect, but this tree in Trafalgar Square makes me think about families and friends looking out for one another right here at home.
“I can’t think of a better symbol of the Christmas spirit of generosity, love and hope. Of light in the darkness.”
The International Monetary Fund’s mission chief for El Salvador issued a statement confirming that government authorities were proceeding with negotiations for the sale of the country’s Chivo Bitcoin wallet.
In a Monday statement, the IMF said El Salvador’s government was continuing to discuss its Bitcoin (BTC) project with the fund’s officials, and “negotiations for the sale of the government e-wallet Chivo are well advanced.” The announcement signaled that the government may be preparing to sell some or all of its crypto holdings in the Chivo wallet.
The statement followed a May deal with El Salvador in which the IMF would pay $120 million as part of a 2024 loan agreement for $1.4 billion. As part of the deal, the government would stop acquiring Bitcoin.
It’s unclear whether El Salvador is abiding by the terms of the deal. Though the IMF reported in July that the country’s government had not purchased any BTC since December 2024, El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office continues to announce crypto buys, including 1,090 Bitcoin worth about $100 million in November.
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According to the terms of the IMF-El Salvador deal made public, the government would make public sector engagement of BTC-related economic activity “confined,” the private sector’s acceptance of Bitcoin would be voluntary, and it would wind down involvement in the Chivo wallet. Cointelegraph reached out to the IMF for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
El Salvador recognized Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 and began acquiring the cryptocurrency as part of a strategy largely pushed by President Nayib Bukele. According to data provided by the country’s Bitcoin Office, the government held 7,509 Bitcoin as of Monday, worth about $659 million at the time of publication.
‘It’s not stopping,’ says Bukele on Bitcoin buys
Despite the reported deal between the IMF and El Salvador, Bukele said in March that the government would continue its Bitcoin investment strategy, purchasing at least one BTC daily. It’s unclear how the president’s statement could affect the IMF agreement.
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