DUP Considers Ending Stormont Boycott Amid Post-Brexit Trade Deal Discussions

A return to power-sharing institutions could unlock a £3.3 billion financial package for Northern Ireland, but faces opposition within the party.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is reportedly considering whether to end its boycott of the Stormont Assembly, which has been in a state of collapse for nearly two years due to the party's protest against post-Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The UK government has offered a £3.3 billion package to stabilize Northern Ireland's finances, including £600 million to settle public sector pay claims, but these funds can only be released when the power-sharing institutions return.
Senior DUP figures, including party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, have held discussions on potentially accepting a government deal on post-Brexit trading arrangements, though no final decision has been announced.
Any proposed return to Stormont is expected to face opposition from some DUP party officers who insist that devolution should only be restored when all their concerns over the Irish Sea trading border have been addressed.
The return of the Stormont Assembly would require new legislation to be tabled at Westminster, following the passing of a legislative deadline for its restoration.