Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann said any Stormont legislation on the Irish language would bring further division to Northern Ireland society. Addressing his first UUP conference as leader at Armagh’s City Hotel, Mr Swann said that whilst his party has no issue with people who cherish the Irish language, it is concerned about the potential impact that an Irish language act might have. Territory, he said, would no longer only be marked by flags and paint kerbstones but also by road signs.

Former US President Bill Clinton met Theresa May in Downing Street to discuss the ongoing stalemate at Stormont. He also met DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill separately in Belfast. On Wednesday, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire warned we’re on a “glide path” to direct rule from Westminster. His latest deadline for an Executive to be formed to pass a budget is the week beginning Monday 6 November. This author dedicated our weekly Northern Lens series to the topic: Northern Lens: The glide path to direct rule.

Theresa May, speaking to EU leaders in Brussels, said unique circumstances of Northern Ireland will require a specific Brexit solution. EU leaders suggested “some progress” had been made on protecting the Good Friday Agreement and Common Travel Area, but these principles require “further refinement.” Mrs May said both the EU and UK are agreed there could be no “physical infrastructure” on the Irish border. Elsewhere, shadow Brexit secretary Kier Starmer said the Labour Party will join with Conservative rebel MPs in an attempt to force Theresa May into giving MPs a veto on the final Brexit deal. Amongst six changes he has demanded to the “paused” repeal bill is the inclusion of parliament being given final approval of the exit agreement.

Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy announced he was invoking article 155 of the constitution to strip Catalonia of its autonomy and impose direct rule from Madrid. In doing so, he cited the Catalan government’s “conscious and systematic rebellion and disobedience” following 1 October’s referendum on succession. Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, said the region will not accept Madrid’s plan for direct rule; the speaker of the Catalan parliament, Carme Forcadell, described the measures as a “de facto coup d’etat”.

US President Donald Trump said he plans to allow the opening of thousands of long-classified files relating to the assassination of former President John F Kennedy on 22 November 1963. Mr Trump tweeted that he would grant the release “subject to receipt of further information”. Such files are scheduled to be opened on 26 October by the US National Archives, but a sitting President is entitled to extend their classified status. Whether Mr Trump intends to allow the release of documents in full or with redactions is not clear.

Also published on Medium.