Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy has said workers and families continue to pay the price for one party’s boycott of the Executive.

Speaking as the British government announced the north would not benefit from the next stage of its Levelling Up fund, the party’s economy spokesperson said:

“Today’s announcement that the British Government is withholding Levelling Up funding as a result of one party’s reckless boycott of the Executive is disgraceful.

“The British Secretary of State has already imposed a punitive budget on people here attacking public sector workers and services. This is yet another cynical attack on ordinary people.

“Workers and families continue to pay the price for one party’s reckless boycott of the Executive. It is now time for the two-way negotiation between the British government and the DUP to end.

“Public patience has run out. We need locally elected ministers back around the Executive table and working together to make the case to the British government that we need more resources and money to properly fund public services and to deliver for workers and families.”