News Letter. Belfast. Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Edwin Poots has said the publication of any of the talks’ papers would be “an act of bad faith.”

The DUP MLA’s comments come after increasing calls from other politicians – including members of the UUP and the Labour Party – to reveal details of negotiations which collapsed last Wednesday.

Mr. Poots said the DUP will not publish any talks papers adding if others wish to publish elements “that’s a matter for them”. He said: “It is time for the Government to set a budget and make key decisions for schools, hospitals, mental health, roads, and broadband. SF has held the country to ransom for long enough.

“The DUP stands ready to form a devolved government today without any preconditions. SF set a shopping list of demands and collapsed the government four hundred days ago. “We entered the talks to reach a fair and balanced deal. That was not achieved hence there was no agreement. “We hope to pick up the process in the future. Therefore, the DUP will not be publishing any of the talks papers as it would be an act of bad faith. “If others wish to publish elements of the talks that’s a matter for them. Such a publication will not undermine anything that the DUP has said in public or private.”