Edwin Poots 'faces difficulties' over first minister job

Edwin Poots' decision not to become NI's first minister "will make things more difficult" in terms of access to the prime minister, NI Secretary Brandon Lewis has said.

Mr Poots, the new Democratic Unionist leader, is preparing to announce his ministerial line-up.

DUP MLA Paul Givan is one of the favourites to become first minister.

But Mr Lewis said that would limit Mr Poots' access to high-profile people, including Boris Johnson.

The Northern Ireland secretary made his remarks in the Sunday Times newspaper.

"When we have meetings with the devolved authorities and with the prime minister it is with the first minister and deputy first minister, it's not with party leaders," he said.

"When there's a royal visit, it's first minister and deputy first minister. Having the leader of the largest party which has the first minister, not be the first minister will make things more difficult."

The DUP endorsed a vote by assembly members and MPs to make Mr Poots leader on 27 May.

But it came amid anger from within the party about how Arlene Foster was ousted as DUP leader last month.

The Ulster Unionists and the Alliance Party have both warned that political instability could be sparked by "dithering" over the appointment of a new first minister.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics, justice minister and Alliance leader Naomi Long said the issue of who is first minister is a "matter for Edwin Poots".

She said she did not think it was a "helpful intervention" from Mr Lewis in the Sunday Times.

"If I am not going to interfere and I am one of the people at the table, I'm not really sure why the secretary of state would choose to do so," she added.

"This is a decision made by party leaders, it wouldn't be the first time that a party leader wasn't a first minister or deputy first minister."

Last week, Mr Poots, who intends to remain as Stormont's agriculture minister, defended his strategy after criticism by one of his predecessors, Peter Robinson.

Writing in the News Letter, the ex-leader and former first minister said decisions being made by those advising Mr Poots "can only damage his prospects of moving the party forward".

Mr Poots rejected that comment, saying Mr Robinson was "out of the loop".

Insisting his leadership would differ from that of Mrs Foster, Mr Poots said: "What you're going to see is incremental change.

"Step by step we will ensure that the fortunes of the party are better and the fortunes of unionism per se are better," he told the BBC.

Last week, Mr Givan said he had spoken to Mr Poots about "the kinds of responsibilities people are prepared to take on".

"I've made it clear to Edwin that whatever role he wants me to do I've never shied away from taking on that responsibility," he said.

"Edwin has not asked me to [become first minister] and I have not asked to do that role.

"That is ultimately a decision for Edwin to take."

Later on Sunday, Mr Poots issued what he called his "daual agenda" on the NI protocol and the union.

The protocol is the part of the Brexit deal that creates a trade border in the Irish Sea in order to prevent a hardening of the Irish land border.

It keeps Northern Ireland in the EU single market for goods and means EU customs rules are enforced at its ports.

Ahead of a meeting with European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic, Mr Poots pledged to be "respectful but forceful" and reiterated that did not want permanent infrastructure related to the protocol to be built.

He added: "There are alternatives to this unworkable Protocol and I want to see a united voice alongside the DUP in promoting them."

He also called for "a Unionist Convention to focus on key objectives everyone in the pro-Union community can support."