US Congressman: DUP should accept election outcome
Richard Neal says the United States can 鈥榥udge鈥� DUP to re-enter Stormont
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) should not 鈥榮tand in the way of what the electorate did鈥� in Northern Ireland, and should return to the Stormont government, according to an influential US Congressman. Democrat Richard Neal told the 91热爆鈥檚 HARDtalk programme, 鈥榯here was an election and I hope that鈥he outcome is accepted鈥�. Speaking to Stephen Sackur from Massachusetts, the district he represents, he said 鈥榠f we have a disagreement, I don鈥檛 think that the disagreement out to stand in the way of what the electorate did鈥�.
The DUP has boycotted Northern Ireland's devolved government at Stormont since last year over concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements. It recently voted against the new post-Brexit arrangements known as the Windsor Framework, which was signed to alter Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol.
Asked whether the United States will use its leverage to push for the DUP to return to Stormont, Mr Neal said 鈥業 think there can be some gentle nudging here鈥�. But he rebutted claims that he and president Joe Biden were not seen as honest brokers by the DUP because of suspicions they want a united Ireland. 鈥業 don鈥檛 know what the reasoning of that would be鈥� Mr Neal said. 鈥業鈥檝e had a long standing relationship, all the way back to welcoming Dr Paisley to the capitol of the United States; sat in between he and Martin McGuiness during luncheons鈥�. He added that unionists 鈥� those who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom 鈥� 鈥榓re always welcomed to these meetings in Washington鈥�.
