UK offers a big financial package if Northern Ireland politicians revive their suspended government

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The British government says it’ll give Northern Ireland 3.3 billion pounds, or about $4.2 billion, to ease a budget crisis if stubborn lawmakers stop boycotting the suspended power-sharing Belfast government. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said on Tuesday that the financial package was a final offer and urged the holdout Democratic Unionist Party to get back to governing. The DUP walked out in early 2022 to protest post-Brexit trade rules. That left Northern Ireland’s 1.9 million people without a functioning administration. Heaton-Harris urged the DUP to return to government. But leader Jeffrey Donaldson said the party hasn’t yet made a decision. A new election must be held in Northern Ireland if there is no new government by Jan 18.