Ivan Lewis MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, responding to reports of the Prime Minister’s early departure from Northern Ireland talks to attend a birthday rave, said:

“I have no problem with David Cameron attending a family celebration. However, his unwillingness to remain in Northern Ireland for a longer period in order to broker progress caused serious concern at the time.

“This is an incredibly fragile time for political stability in Northern Ireland and the Prime Minister had a duty to either stay the course or visit at a time when he could give the situation his fullest attention.

“He now has serious questions to answer about whether he was less than truthful about his reasons for an abrupt departure, which made an already fraught situation worse.”

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