Northern Ireland is inching towards direct rule from Westminster after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) called on the Secretary of State to set a budget for the region.

The DUP made the call just hours before the latest deadline to restore powersharing at Stormont runs out.

Sinn Fein, however, has said a deal could still be done, but insisted it must be “a deal for all in society and not just for the political leaderships of unionism”.