Simon Harris said the question of a referendum does not “arise currently” – saying it was more important for the new UK Government to work with Ireland in supporting the power-sharing arrangements at Stormont. After the general election, nationalists hold one more seat than unionists with Sinn Fein becoming the largest party with 7 Westminster seats, after the unionist electorate returned three parties and an independent after years of DUP dominance in London. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Mary Lou McDonald used the results to urge new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to “embrace the right of Irish self-determination and constitutional change toward Irish reunification”. However, Sir Keir has previously stated that the issue of a united Ireland is not on his horizon – and the new Secretary of State has told the News Letter that he won’t be introducing new criteria for the calling of a vote, something nationalists have asked for. While Sinn Fein have repeatedly called for a border poll, or at least steps in that direction, the SDLP have been much more cautious acknowledging during the campaign that that point has not been reached.

The election leaves only 7 of Northern Ireland’s eighteen MPs calling for a vote sooner rather than later. Advertisement Advertisement Yesterday, Taoiseach Simon Harris told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With .