Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Belfast ahead of the UK General Election, focusing on the restoration of Northern Ireland’s devolved government. Sunak reiterated his commitment to the region’s prosperity and integration with the United Kingdom, emphasising the importance of recent political developments.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Belfast recently as part of his campaign for the UK General Election scheduled for July 4. During his visit, Sunak emphasized that restoring devolved government in Northern Ireland was a key priority since he assumed office.
Sunak’s remarks were made during a visit to a maritime technology centre in the Titanic Quarter of Belfast, where he rode on a zero-emission boat produced by Artemis Technologies—a company benefiting from government funding. He was accompanied by Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.
Northern Ireland’s devolved government had been non-functional for several years, but efforts were successfully made to reinstate it. In February, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) ended a two-year boycott of the devolved government after reaching an agreement with the UK Government addressing concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements.
With the Assembly restored, Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill became Northern Ireland’s first nationalist First Minister. Despite the Conservative Party’s limited presence in Northern Ireland, Sunak underscored his commitment to the region’s prosperity and integration with the United Kingdom.
