A senior DUP figure has told Joe Biden not to "lecture" Northern Ireland politicians about democracy during his visit to Belfast today as the US President seeks to boost efforts to restore powersharing at Stormont. 

Sammy Wilson, a DUP MP and the party's chief whip at Westminster, said the US President "wouldn’t accept any interference in the affairs of America by outside bodies or outside governments and I don’t think he should expect us to respond to that either".

Mr Wilson also questioned whether Mr Biden could have a positive impact on resolving the impasse on restarting devolved government as he claimed the US President "has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British". 

Asked if there was any chance of Stormont returning before local elections next month, Mr Wilson told TalkTV this morning: "First of all I hope that he doesn’t come here and lecture us about democracy and getting the Stormont assembly going. 

"He wouldn’t accept any interference in the affairs of America by outside bodies or outside governments and I don’t think he should expect us to respond to that either. I don’t see any prospect if the Government is not prepared to undo the damage which the [Windsor] framework has done."

Mr Biden arrived in Belfast last night as he undertakes a historic four-day trip to the island of Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. 

He will hold talks with Rishi Sunak this morning before then delivering a speech at lunchtime at Ulster University. The leaders of Northern Ireland's main political parties are expected to have a chance to speak with Mr Biden before the speech.

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