Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald has said the British government’s Protocol Bill is damaging the north’s economy and she called for the Executive to be restored immediately to support workers and families through the cost of living crisis.

Speaking following the latest Ulster Bank PMI report, the party’s economy spokesperson said:

“The latest Ulster Bank report shows that soaring costs of fuel, energy and feed are impacting on business, retail and manufacturing with demand declining and sales falling.

“This is bad news for hard-pressed workers and families struggling to put food on the table and heat their homes and who have less money to spend in the local economy.

“Ultimately that could mean job losses.

“This report should be a wakeup call to those boycotting our democratic power sharing institutions.

“The priority for everyone should be about restoring the Executive and putting the hundreds of millions in the Executive’s bank account into the pockets of workers and families and into the local economy.

“British government threats to over-ride the Protocol are also causing uncertainty and instability for businesses, which are benefitting from continued access to the British market and EU single market.

“The British government needs to refocus on getting the Assembly and Executive back up and running, end its threats to break international law and negotiate in good faith with the EU to provide certainty and stability for businesses.”