DUP says won’t back new N.Ireland government without protocol progress

DUBLIN – Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party on Friday said it would not join a power-sharing government led by a Sinn Fein First Minister if the British government and European Union have not secured a breakthrough in post-Brexit trade talks.

“Until we get that progress, I made clear I will not be nominating ministers to the executive,” Jeffrey Donaldson told Ireland’s RTE television, referring to the Northern Ireland protocol that governs post-Brexit trade in the region.