On Monday our nation came together to give thanks for the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Her life was devoted to the service of our country and to the Commonwealth.
It was an honour to be in Westminster Abbey for the funeral service and to have joined with colleagues two weeks ago representing Northern Ireland at the Accession Council and proclamation of King Charles III.
The response we saw across every part of the United Kingdom, both in respect of the death of the Queen and welcoming our new King, highlighted one of the strong ties which binds our nation together.
With the period of national mourning over, focus has returned to political issues and particularly on the cost of living crisis. Here in Northern Ireland we cannot ignore the impact of the Protocol on driving up costs. With 25% tariffs on steel, and increased costs of transporting goods from Great Britain, this is adding even more to the cost of goods in our supermarkets which are being passed on to hard pressed consumers.
The Protocol has eroded the foundations for devolution on a cross community basis and there is an urgent need to rebuild that stable platform on which we can see a return of local decision making. The Protocol Bill is the best route to moving forward. Anyone seeking to delay or frustrate the progress of the Bill is holding back the return of devolution and power sharing here.
I want to see devolution functioning again in Northern Ireland just as it is in other regions, and the Government can assist that by expediting the Bill's progress through Parliament.
