ALL TALK..NO ACTION

UK election ‘delays Stormont deal’

STORMONT politicians will decide on Thursday whether to halt talks to restore power-sharing until the General Election is over.

With little chance of a deal while parties are focused on a race for votes, there is a growing expectation the process may be paused or significantly scaled back until after June 8. The matter will be discussed on Thursday when the leaders of the main parties meet Secretary of State James Brokenshire and Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan at Stormont Castle. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said it was time to drop the “pretence” anything was being achieved by continuing to talk. He added: “The idea we are going to get a deal in these current circumstances is not credible.” Mr Eastwood laid the blame at Theresa May’s door, claiming her decision to call the election had torpedoed any chance of an agreement in the short term. Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly levelled a similar charge at Mrs May. He said: “People understand how difficult it would be to come to solid conclusions in the middle of an election but the British Prime Minister didn’t seem to worry about that.” At Westminster yesterday, Mr Brokenshire set out his plans to take financial decisions to stabilise the rudderless administration. He made clear that if no government is in place by the latest talks deadline of June 29, he will intervene to effectively set Stormont’s budget for the rest of the financial year.

DEADLINE James Brokenshire