“Today the Prime Minister stated what is very obvious to many of us - that much needs to be fixed and reformed. Sir Kier Starmer has laid out a warning that there will be a difficult Autumn, and that difficult decisions will be made around the budget which will have a significant impact. Much of this is unsurprising and the PM is setting the tone for the next parliamentary session. 

“However, here in Northern Ireland, we are still waiting for our Programme for Government, with challenges in health, education and policing being sidelined with a lack of any prioritisation being disguised by soundbites and platitudes from the Executive Office. 

“It was also noteworthy that the PM went out of his way to praise the Police during the recent disturbances, telling the nation of his visits across our country, including Belfast. It was pleasing to hear the Prime Minister’s words, an approach in marked contrast to the ill-judged correspondence of the Department of Justice to our Chief Constable. 

“The direction of travel set out by the PM today, while stark, is clear. We can only wonder when we will get similar clarity on our way forward in Northern Ireland.”