BROKENSHIRE BOWS OUT... AND BRADLEY TAKES UP THE REINS

GETTING STORMONT UP AND RUNNING IS MY TOP PRIORITY, SAYS NEW NI SECRETARY OF STATE

NEW Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said restoring the Stormont Executive is now her “top priority”.

After a cabinet reshuffle yesterday, the MP for Staffordshire Moorlands replaced James Brokenshire, who stood down due to ill health.

Mrs Bradley (47) had been serving as Culture Secretary since July 2016 before her new appointment.

In a statement, the Conservative MP said it was “a great honour” to be appointed at “a decisive moment for Northern Ireland”.

In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Brokenshire said he required surgery to remove a small lesion in his right lung.

Theresa May praised him for his hard work and told him he was “absolutely right” to put his health first.

Thanking her predecessor for an “outstanding job” and wishing him a speedy recovery, Mrs Bradley said she wanted to work closely “with all parties, the Irish government as appropriate, and with all sections of the community”.

With no Stormont Executive in place for a year, she acknowledged the “immediate challenges” facing her.

“I believe a devolved government in Belfast is best placed to address these issues and take the key decisions which affect people’s day to day lives,” she said.

On the subject of Brexit, Mrs Bradley said any deal should avoid a hard border while maintaining the UK’s “constitutional integrity”.

“Alongside these issues, I am conscious of the need to establish a stronger economy and a shared society, to address the legacy of the past and to keep people safe and secure,” she continued. First elected in 2010, the former accountant previously extended the powers of the National Crime Agency to Northern Ireland during her time as a Home Office minister.

Mrs Bradley grew up in Buxton where her parents ran the Queen’s Head Hotel.

Today, she lives in Leek with her husband and two children.

Shortly before her official appointment yesterday, pranksters rushed to give her Wikipedia page a Northern Irish twist, claiming that she was a Linfield supporter and a member of the Orange Order.

Northern Ireland’s political and business leaders were quick to welcome her appointment, but warned of serious challenges ahead.

DUP leader Arlene Foster said: “She is taking up office with lots waiting on her in-tray. Look forward to an early meeting. It will be busy but Karen now gets to come to the friendliest part of the UK.”

Alliance leader Naomi Long said it was “vital” Mrs Bradley injected fresh momentum into the Stormont talks.

Mrs Long called for her to set a new date for all-party discussions and urgently consider an independent facilitator to chair the talks.

Green Party leader Steven Agnew welcomed Mrs Bradley to what would be “a hugely important and challenging role at a key point in Northern Ireland’s political history”.

Business leaders said Mrs Bradley would “need to hit the ground running” to restore devolution.

Glyn Roberts from Retail NI said he hoped her appointment would give “a new momentum” to efforts to restore the Executive.

“Our members are beyond frustration at the continuing political deadlock and lack of a government,” he said.

Angela McGowan, director of CBI NI, said the new secretary would need to stand up for Northern Ireland’s economy throughout the Brexit negotiations.

She added that local firms were “adamant” that any deal with the EU should secure frictionless east/west and north/ south trade and uphold the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.