Starmer ‘treated those from Northern Ireland as second-class citizens’ – O’Neill

By Rebecca Black, Press Association

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill has claimed Keir Starmer treated those from the region as “second-class citizens”.

She said the outgoing British prime minister “refused to meet” with the Stormont Executive in recent years.

The Executive has complained that the region is not funded to need, and ministers have been unable to agree a budget.

Speaking to media at Parliament Buildings on Monday, O’Neill gave her view on Starmer's government from her role and interactions with Number 10.

She said: “Throughout the course of the last few years Keir Starmer has refused to meet with this Executive to discuss the very issues that are concerning people here.

“He has refused to meet myself and the deputy First Minister in terms of the cost-of-living crisis, so that’s something I take away from my experience working with him in his time in office.

“Is that good enough?

“No.

“What does that say about the people here?

“It says that they’re second-class citizens and they’ll never be up the priority list of any British prime minister.”

While O’Neill said she is “ready to work constructively” with the next prime minister, she also reiterated her view that the region’s future is “better served by breaking our links with Britain”.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson accused Starmer of “leaving behind a record of unfulfilled promises” in terms of Northern Ireland.

He said: “He failed to deal with the root cause of the problems created by the (Northern Ireland) Protocol and Windsor Framework, namely restoring Northern Ireland’s full place within the United Kingdom and ending the application of EU laws over part of our country.

“His Government also failed to secure our borders at a time of growing public concern about illegal migration.

“Whoever succeeds Sir Keir Starmer must fund Northern Ireland properly, back those who work, restore confidence in our borders, and deliver policies that strengthen the United Kingdom rather than weaken it.”

Alliance leader Naomi Long expressed concern about the potential for “another period of instability” while the next prime minister is agreed on.

She said: “My main concern is that this gets resolved quickly, that we get some semblance of stability at Westminster and that we’re able to make progress on the issues that really matter to the people we represent, the cost-of-living crisis, being able to see opportunity for their families, dealing with all the challenges in our health service and dealing with the financial challenges we face as a devolved Assembly.

“We also need to see wider renewal of politics across the UK if people are going to be genuinely confident that Westminster can deliver for them.”

SDLP leader Claire Hanna said Starmer had been “more engaged and respectful of the island of Ireland and more interested in this region” than previous premiers.

She said: “But he did fail to communicate and connect with his electorate, and some of it is about the general structural challenges facing the UK in terms of their failure really to understand and have a shared story about how they are in the world.”

UUP leader Jon Burrows said Starmer had been on “borrowed time”.

He said: “In 2024 the country voted for change.

“Instead, it got a government that too often failed to deliver.

“Taxes rose to record levels on working families, while many of those who do the right thing felt increasingly overlooked.

“No matter who succeeds as prime minister, the Ulster Unionist Party will work constructively with them because that is in the best interests of Northern Ireland.

“But that relationship must work both ways.

“The next government must govern for every part of the United Kingdom, deliver where this one failed, and treat Northern Ireland as a full and equal partner in our Union.”

TUV leader Jim Allister said the question for the next prime minister will be whether they are a premier for the whole United Kingdom, with reference to the position of Northern Ireland following Brexit.

The region effectively continues to follow some European Union rules under the Windsor Framework accord in order to avoid a hard land border on the island of Ireland.

Allister claimed Starmer “ran away from” the issue, but said “constitutionally it has to be addressed”.

He added: “We’re in a situation where Northern Ireland, in those 300 areas of law, we’re governed not by laws we make here but by a foreign power, and if you’re Prime Minister of the United Kingdom then your first duty is to ensure that you exercise sovereignty over all of the United Kingdom.”