British Government's Northern Ireland Secretary Criticised For Comments About Who Should Be First Minister

Brandon Lewis has told the Sunday Times the decision of Edwin Poots not to take up the role will make things "more difficult"

The new DUP leader is planning to nominate someone else to the position - with Paul Givan seen as the favourite.

Alliance leader and the North's Justice Minister, Naomi Long, has told the BBC it's not a good idea for Mr Lewis to get involved:

"I don't think that it's a helpful intervention from the Secretary of State. I mean if I'm not going to interfere and I'm one of the people at the table. I'm not really sure why the Secretary of State would choose to do so. This is a decision made by party leaders. It wouldn't be the first time that a party leader wasn't First or Deputy First Minister. John Hume, for example, never took up the post of Deputy First Minister, his deputy did that.",

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