PM To Northern Ireland Unionists In GFA Speech-'Return To Stormont'

In a speech at Queen's University Belfast, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appeals to unionist parties in Northern Ireland to return to the power-sharing agreement and restore the devolved gov't. Sunak is speaking as part of a conference marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement, which brought an end to the period of sectarian violence known as 'The Troubles'.

• Sunak says that he wants to 'speak directly' to the 'diverse representatives of unionism'. Says that the institutions of the devolved gov't being out of action for nine of the past 25 years "should be a source of profound concern" and that "Over the long term, that will not bolster the cause of unionism."
• Sunak: "I urge you to work with us to get Stormont up and running again....That is the right thing to do in its own terms, it is also the right thing to do for the union.[...] We have to show that devolved government within the UK works for Northern Ireland..”
• The restoration of power-sharing was called for by US President Joe Biden on his visit to the island of Ireland last week, and hinted that billions of dollars in US investment could come to NI if the executive were restored. This claim, however, fell flat with unionist politicians deriding the prospect of such an influx based purely on the regional legislature's operation.