Power-sharing deal should be implemented - Johnson

The prime minister has said the "whole" deal that restored power-sharing at Stormont last January should be implemented.

Boris Johnson made the comment after calls from Sinn Féin for the UK government to pass Irish language legislation.

Sinn Féin said it will not support a new DUP first minister unless the UK government intervenes on language.

The DUP has not agreed to pass the legislation before the next election.

Mr Johnson said people in Northern Ireland wanted a "stable, functioning and mature executive".

He was responding in the House of Commons to a question from former NI Secretary Julian Smith, who said it was "vital" parties stuck to the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) commitments.

Mr Smith said the government should act as a "backstop" if the Stormont parties cannot make progress.

Arlene Foster resigned as first minister on Monday, six weeks after she was overthrown as the leader of the DUP.

Michelle O'Neill lost her position as deputy first minister at the same time because the roles form a joint office.

That led to a seven-day period for the approval of a new first minister and deputy first minister by Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Secretary of State Brandon Lewis is expected to host talks with Northern Ireland political parties on Wednesday afternoon as the stand-off continues over Irish language provision.

On Monday, Sinn Féin revealed it had asked Mr Lewis to introduce the laws at Westminster, saying it was the "only way forward to finally resolve" the dispute over Irish language legislation.

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald is expected to lead a party delegation to the talks with the Northern Ireland secretary at Stormont on Wednesday evening.

The DUP has criticised the proposal of UK intervention.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Sammy Wilson said the government "must not interfere in devolved issues at the behest of Sinn Féin".

Party leader Edwin Poots has said he intends to support Irish language legislation, but not necessarily before the next assembly election.

The stand-off between the two largest parties at Stormont over language and culture law potentially threatens the future of power-sharing.

It centres on the implementation of the New Decade, New Approach agreement, which was made in January 2020.

The deal includes an Office of Identity and Cultural Expression, an Irish language commissioner and a commissioner to enhance and develop the language and culture of the Ulster-Scots/Ulster-British tradition.

One of the key areas the parties disagreed on during the talks was over demands for a stand-alone Irish language act.

Sinn Féin wants the legislation passed before the end of the current NI Assembly term in May 2022, but the DUP has not given that commitment.

Could we be heading for a political first in Northern Ireland?

Solving a Stormont crisis with days to run before a deadline.

That is the hope of Brandon Lewis as he flies back to Northern Ireland to re-engage with Sinn Fein and the DUP.

But is he planning to put something on the table to break the deadlock?

Might he suggest - as per the demand from Sinn Féin - that Westminster will legislate for Irish language but only if the executive fails to act first?

But crucially without setting a deadline or timeline for that to happen.

If he does, will that be enough for Sinn Féin and the DUP to lift the threat hanging over the institutions?

Lots of questions but don't expect the answers as quickly as the secretary of state would like.

Also in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Mr Lewis criticised the Republic of Ireland's Tanaiste (deputy prime minister) Leo Varadkar after he said he believed a united Ireland will happen in his lifetime.

Mr Lewis said Mr Varadkar's comments, made during an opening address of Fine Gael's Ard Fheis (party conference) on Tuesday, were "unhelpful and ill-advised" and urged people to "dial down the rhetoric".

Mr Varadkar said while the views of unionists must be "acknowledged and respected", "no one group can have a veto on Ireland's future".

Following meetings with the main parties on Tuesday, Mr Lewis had said he would explore "all the options available" to introduce Irish language laws.

He said it was "vital" cross-community commitments to culture and language made in the NDNA deal were honoured.

"This includes the creation of an Ulster-Scots British commissioner, an Irish language commissioner and an office of identity and cultural expression for everybody in Northern Ireland," he said.

"I want to drive real progress on these issues for all of the people of Northern Ireland and I'll continue to engage closely with all parties to that end, exploring all the options available."

On Wednesday morning, Conservative MP Simon Hoare, the chair of the NI Affairs Committee, said he would vote for an Irish language act if it comes to the House of Commons.

However, in a reply to his tweet, the DUP's Carla Lockhart said: "Not for the first time a lack of real knowledge of Northern Ireland and a respect for devolution. You can't cherry pick when it suits you."