Tory leadership: Candidates battle for votes in Northern Ireland

Leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak are to pitch for the votes of Northern Ireland Conservative members at a hustings later.

It is the deal agreed by the UK and EU in 2019 that put in place post-Brexit trade arrangements for NI.

The two contenders to replace Boris Johnson are taking part in a series of debates around the UK.

The event, outside Belfast, will give local Tory members the chance to question the candidates on Northern Ireland-specific issues, as well as other topics such as the cost of living.

Stormont has been without a power-sharing government since February, due to the Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) ongoing protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The party is refusing to nominate a deputy first minister until the protocol is changed, meaning a decision-making executive cannot be formed and the legislative assembly cannot operate.

Other ministers can remain in post, but they are unable to take major policy decisions.

Both Ms Truss and Mr Sunak have said they would prioritise the restoration of the power-sharing institutions if they become prime minister.

Mr Sunak has also said his preference for solving the row over the protocol would be a compromise through fresh negotiations with the EU.

However, he committed to progressing the government's protocol bill to "become law", in the event that a renegotiation does not happen.

Last week, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson questioned Mr Sunak's commitment to the protocol legislation.

"We will work with whoever is elected the new prime minister but given the support Liz Truss has stated in her support for the protocol legislation, we would need to see the same support from Rishi Sunak and I'm not sure we have that yet," he told the BBC.

London also wants any trade disputes resolved by "independent arbitration" and not by the European Court of Justice, and for Northern Ireland to benefit from the same tax breaks as elsewhere in the UK.

Both candidates have also set out a series of policies they say are aimed at strengthening the union.

Mr Sunak has announced proposals to reform a team of advisers within Downing Street known as the "union unit".

The former chancellor said his future reforms would ensure "every single" government department operated UK-wide, despite policy areas such as education and health having been in the control of Stormont since devolution in 1999.

The eighth stop on the Conservative hustings tour takes Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland has had scarce mention in the campaign so far, but an audience of about 500 local Tory members will be keen to change that.

Liz Truss will argue that she has a track record in delivering as foreign secretary, by pushing legislation to override the protocol through Parliament; a move supported by most unionist politicians but one that's been heavily criticised by other parties who say it breaches previous agreements.

Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, perhaps has more to do to persuade others of his credentials when it comes to talking tough with the EU, but he'll hope to win support for his proposals for promoting the union and resetting the economy.

Both candidates have promised to prioritise the restoration of power sharing at Stormont; whoever wins the keys to Number 10 will soon be challenged on how they'll deliver on that particular commitment.

Ms Truss meanwhile has stressed that she would retain the "minister for the union" title Boris Johnson took on as prime minister.

She has also pledged to put an end to "constitutional division", but came under criticism from Sinn Féin after she accused the nationalist party of trying to "drive a wedge" between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

Sinn Féin, which became the largest party in Northern Ireland at the assembly election in May, said it would "take no lectures" from Ms Truss or the Conservative government.