Plans to allow ‘double-jobbing’ in Northern Irish politics dropped

Jeffrey Donaldson. The move would have allowed the DUP leader to potentially ‘double-job’ at Stormont while remaining a Westminster MP. Photograph: David Young/PA

The UK government has abandoned plans to introduce a law that would have allowed the leader of the Democratic Unionist party to potentially “double-job” in the Stormont assembly while remaining a Westminster MP.

Before a debate on the legislation in the Lords on Wednesday afternoon, Boris Johnson told the Commons that an amendment enabling dual mandates was being withdrawn.