New Northern Ireland secretary meets political parties – MASHAHER

Hilary Benn has met some of the main Stormont parties on his first visit to Northern Ireland since being appointed as secretary of state.

He met First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, as well as representatives from parties including the UUP and SDLP.

Mr Benn took over the role on Friday after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer became prime minister.

Mr Benn said his priority was to establish a new relationship between the UK Government and the Stormont Executive.

The secretary of state met the local representatives at Hillsborough Castle on Saturday, after attending a cabinet meeting in London earlier in the day.

Mr Benn, who had been the shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland since September 2023, said he was “deeply honoured” to have been appointed to the role of NI secretary.

In a statement, he said he wanted to get to work as “quickly as possible” and was pleased to have held initial discussions with the local representatives.

“My immediate priorities are to establish a new relationship between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive as we work together to foster economic growth and prosperity, and to improve public services,” he said.

On the controversial topic of legacy, Mr Benn said he wanted to ensure that there was “a system in place for addressing the legacy of the past” which “wins support from victims’ families and that all communities can have confidence in, and which is compliant with human rights.”

Mr Benn said his meeting with the first and deputy first ministers was “very constructive” and that he was looking forward to building their relationship in the coming months.

He said the new government was committed to the Good Friday Agreement and to “the principle of consent that is at its heart”.

In a statement following the meeting, Sinn Féin said its vice-president Michelle O’Neill had told Mr Benn there was an urgent need for fairer funding and investment in public services.

Ms O’Neill was joined at Hillsborough Castle by a Sinn Féin delegation including Economy Minister Conor Murphy and newly-returned Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen.

“We strongly made the case for fair funding to be provided urgently for health, education and public services here,” Ms O’Neill said.

She said they had also reiterated the need for immediate funding to be released to build Casement Park in time for Euro 2028 and had called on the secretary of state to “follow through on previous commitments” to scrap the Troubles Legacy Act.

The SDLP was represented by party leader Colum Eastwood MP and Claire Hanna MP.

Mr Eastwood said they had a “constructive meeting” with Mr Benn in which they urged him to make the delivery of “emergency aid to our health service” the most important priority of the government’s first 100 days in office.

Mr Eastwood said they also discussed “repealing and replacing” the Legacy Act and the government’s commitment to Casement Park.

On Friday evening, Mr Benn spoke to the Tánaiste Micheál Martin on the phone.

Addressing the relationship with Dublin, Mr Benn said: “As our nearest neighbour and co-guarantor of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, our relationship with Ireland is of great importance.”

He said that “the new UK Government will work closely with the Irish Government to reset and strengthen the relationship” between them.

Hilary Benn was appointed the new Northern Ireland secretary following the Labour Party’s general election victory.

He is a veteran parliamentarian representing Leeds Central in the House of Commons since 1999 and now, the new Leeds South constituency.

He had been the shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland since September 2023.

He also served in the cabinet from 2003 to 2010 under Labour prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.