DUP leader warns of Brexit deal impact on Northern Ireland
It is "not realistic" to expect stability in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Brexit deal, the next leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has warned.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he would speak to Boris Johnson to underline his message.
His comments came as Brexit minister Lord Frost said it was "hard to see" how the Northern Ireland Protocol, the part of the Brexit deal at the heart of the controversy, can survive in its current form.
Sir Jeffrey was the only candidate to succeed Edwin Poots after his short-lived leadership of the DUP collapsed.
"I will be speaking with the Prime Minister at the earliest opportunity to emphasise that it is not realistic to expect stability when every unionist representative in the devolved institutions opposes the Northern Ireland Protocol," he said.
"The government and those who claim to be protectors of peace and stability must step up and deal with the Protocol in a manner which respects the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom."
The comments came after outgoing DUP leader Mr Poots said he had received a personal assurance from the UK government that significant changes will be made to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Mr Poots, who was forced to announce his resignation as leader last week following an internal party revolt over his decision to proceed with nominating a Stormont First Minister, predicted there would be a "significant victory" on the Protocol in July.
Lord Frost would not be drawn on private conversations between UK ministers and Mr Poots but accused the European Union of failing to show enough "pragmatism" to make the Protocol work.
The UK government and the EU are locked in a dispute over the implementation of the Protocol, the part of the Brexit divorce deal aimed at avoiding a hard border with Ireland.
Mr Poots indicated the promise of a "significant win" had been made by Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis.
When asked what was the nature of the changes he had been promised, Mr Poots admitted "we haven't got detail", but the issues that needed to be addressed were around the constitutional status of Northern Ireland.