Senior government sources said the date next April represented an “absolutely vital” time to get Northern Ireland’s executive back up and running, with unionist parties blocking power-sharing institutions as part of a protest against trading rules after Brexit. The Biden administration set the record straight with Liz Truss in its first bilateral talks with the US president in New York on Wednesday, amid concerns in the White House that the Good Friday deal could be threatened as a result of the dispute. In his televised opening address at the start of the meeting, signaling their importance, Biden told Truss: “We are both committed to protecting Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement. I look forward to hearing what you have in mind.” While the main focus of the trip for Truss was dealing with Russian aggression in Ukraine, it raised concerns that the new prime minister was letting the issue slip, despite her promises. Over the two days, he refused to discuss the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron and held a “closed-door” meeting with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. Downing Street said that in the Biden meeting, which lasted 15 minutes, the two leaders agreed that the “priority” was to ensure the Good Friday agreement was kept, “preserving the peace gains” in Northern Ireland. Diplomats have suggested that Biden could travel to the UK to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday agreement, creating a deadline for the EU and the UK to resolve the issue. “If you look at the calendar, you’ll come to the conclusion that next year might be an obvious reason to visit Europe if things go well,” said one. A senior government source said: “What we want to do is protect and restore the Good Friday agreement. I think the 25th anniversary next year is a key decision point, but the big obstacle to that is the lack of an executive right now.” Downing Street has sought to decouple the row over the protocol from Britain’s pursuit of a long-awaited free trade deal with the US, with Truss admitting ahead of her visit that a deal may not happen for years, despite hailed by Brexit supporters as one of the most important possibilities. benefits of leaving the EU. Within days of taking office, the White House warned Truss not to “undo” the Northern Ireland Protocol, stressing that while there was no “formal link” between the issue and the conclusion of a free trade agreement, it would not create a ” favorable environment”. The government has vowed to secure changes to the protocol, either through a negotiated compromise with the EU or through controversial domestic legislation that would empower ministers to scrap the arrangements without Brussels’ approval. Political opponents criticized the DUP’s boycott, which they said was hampering efforts to support struggling families amid the cost of living crisis. The executive has been suspended for three of the past five years. A senior government source said: “Everybody needs to see that it goes live as soon as possible… the 25th anniversary is a key moment, which is Easter next year. If you don’t have a stem [or] assembly until then this is very bad everywhere.’ Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Both sides have said in recent weeks they are determined to find an agreed path to post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland, with the UK demanding the lifting of physical controls on agricultural produce and other goods. However, the UK also insisted it would reserve the right to take unilateral action as an “insurance policy” if no solution could be found. Tony Blair helped reassure both EU nations and the US that a row over post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland posed no threat to the stability of the Good Friday deal, according to British diplomats. One said: “Tony is certainly explaining to the Europeans and Americans that the British Government has real meaning on the trade aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol. He explains in a way that only he can, given his role in the Good Friday deal. “It explains why there is no risk, why it is not about the Good Friday agreement. It’s for the communities. “And it explains why the EU’s proposals will not work. Now he doesn’t agree with the government on every point, but he’s certainly been a helpful voice in that.” A spokesman for Blair declined to comment.
