{"id":38111,"date":"2024-07-08T08:16:48","date_gmt":"2024-07-08T08:16:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/new-pm-to-make-first-visit-to-stormont\/"},"modified":"2024-07-08T08:16:50","modified_gmt":"2024-07-08T08:16:50","slug":"new-pm-to-make-first-visit-to-stormont","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/new-pm-to-make-first-visit-to-stormont\/","title":{"rendered":"New PM to make first visit to Stormont"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By\u00a0Jayne McCormack,\u00a0<\/span>BBC News NI political correspondent<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"PAPA Media<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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Sir Keir Starmer is meeting the first and deputy first ministers at Stormont Castle as part of his first visit to Northern Ireland as prime minister.<\/p>\n

The Labour leader is on a tour of the UK after becoming prime minister on Friday and visiting Scotland on Sunday.<\/p>\n

He was accompanied by the new Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and his chief of staff and former senior Stormont civil servant Sue Gray.<\/p>\n

He is also expected to meet representatives from the Executive and opposition parties. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Ahead of the meetings, Sir Keir said \u201cstability and certainty\u201d would be at the centre of what his government does for Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are the party of the Good Friday Agreement, and the stability it has brought,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTogether, as we take the steps towards a decade of national renewal, we will harness Northern Ireland\u2019s vast economic strengths \u2013 rebuilding strong public services and generating real and tangible economic growth for working people.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must turn the page and secure investment, prosperity, and stability for future generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The prime minister was greeted by the Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Visit ‘important moment’ for NI<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Gregory Campbell said the party will be looking for commitment to \u201cadequate funding\u201d for Northern Ireland\u2019s public services.<\/p>\n

However, Mr Campbell added while Northern Ireland needs additional resources, a re-designation of funding in order to spend it better is also key.<\/p>\n

Previously, Labour have promised to repeal the controversial Legacy Act \u2013 which had offered conditional immunity to suspects in Northern Ireland’s Trouble, however this was later disapplied by a court ruling.<\/p>\n

Mr Campbell said that the relatives of Troubles victims need to be the primary focus of Labour\u2019s legacy plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been too many attempts to rewrite the past, we can\u2019t have any more,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Alliance minister Andrew Muir said the party’s meeting with the prime minister was an “important moment for Northern Ireland” as it reflects a “reset” for relations.<\/p>\n

“We need stability in terms of public services, we need to be able to invest in those and that is absolutely critical,” he told BBC News NI’s Good Morning Ulster programme.<\/p>\n

The agriculture and environment minister said that the party will also stress the need for a reform of political institutions in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are fed up with stop go government and we need to be able to ensure the institutions are there for the long term,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

NI health service ‘in state of emergency’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Doug Beattie said he will be bringing Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, as well as former health minister and newly elected South Antrim MP Robin Swann to the meeting with Sir Keir to send a message.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe prime minister said our health service is broken, well our health service in Northern Ireland is in a state of emergency and I will be pressing him for direct action to assist us in that most fundamental of service,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said specifically he will be asking for any money that comes from the Barnett Consequential \u2013 funding given to devolved institutions for public spending \u2013 to be ringfenced for Northern Ireland\u2019s health service.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Colum Eastwood said while it is \u201cgreat that we\u2019ve seen the back of the Tory party\u201d, he still intends to \u201chold Labour\u2019s feet to the fire\u201d.<\/p>\n

He said he will be talking to Sir Keir about properly funding Northern Ireland\u2019s public services, health service as well as resetting the relationship with the Irish government.<\/p>\n

On the Legacy Act, the Foyle MP said he was \u201chappy\u201d with what the government had promised so far, but would be looked for \u201cdetailed discussions\u201d on what it is replaced with.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Legacy Act needs to be scrapped and replaced with something decent and honourable,\u201d Mr Eastwood told BBC Radio Foyle\u2019s North West Today programme.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The new Secretary of State Hilary Benn arrived in Northern Ireland on Saturday and held talks with most of the main political parties<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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The new Secretary of State Hilary Benn arrived in Northern Ireland on Saturday and held talks with most of the main political parties.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, he visited businesses in Belfast city centre, where he told reporters that Casement Park \u201chas to be built\u201d<\/a>, but urged people to bear with him while he ploughs through the issues.<\/p>\n

Labour has been urged by political parties and sporting organisations to commit funding to ensure the stadium can be redeveloped in time for Euro 2028.<\/p>\n

Casement Park, a Gaelic games stadium, hasn’t hosted a game since 2013 but is earmarked to be Northern Ireland’s sole venue for the tournament if it can be redeveloped in time.<\/p>\n

There have been plans to build a new stadium there since 2011 at an original cost about of \u00a376m, with \u00a361m coming from Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government and \u00a315m from the GAA. <\/p>\n

But delays and spiralling construction costs means it has now been suggested that it could cost more than \u00a3300m.<\/p>\n

Mr Benn said he wouldn\u2019t be pressured into saying Casement Park will be built in time for the Euros in 2028 but said \u201cas soon as I\u2019m in a position to make that decision I will\u201d.<\/p>\n

He previously said a Labour government could not write a \u201cblank cheque\u201d<\/a> for the redevelopment. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Analysis: Jayne McCormack, political correspondent<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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With Friday\u2019s electric set of election results just about sinking in for Keir Starmer there\u2019s no time to waste. <\/p>\n

The last time the Labour leader went to Stormont he promised to repeal the controversial legacy act if his party took power. <\/p>\n

On that the first and deputy first ministers and other parties have already held talks with Hilary Benn, the sixth secretary of state in five years. From the Tories, Labour has also inherited the question of cash for Casement Park\u2019s redevelopment. <\/p>\n

It previously said it couldn\u2019t write a blank cheque but whether as prime minister Keir Starmer is prepared to hand over the funding will come up in many of his conversations today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


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