"There has been huge instability in Parliament in recent weeks, as it became clearer and clearer that Starmer wouldn't be Prime Minister for much longer.

"What the country needs now is stability, so the process that now follows to select a new Prime Minister needs to be swift and clear, and whoever takes over the role needs to be given the time, space and opportunity to lay out their plans and frontbench team.

"The impact that this change will have on Northern Ireland is yet to become clear. The appointments a new Prime Minister, most likely Andy Burnham, makes in the Northern Ireland Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Treasury will make his vision and approach for Northern Ireland known.

"We will look at this change as an opportunity, and the Ulster Unionist Party will be engaging with the new Prime Minister and their team to put to them our vision and priorities for Northern Ireland and the Union."