Editorial: US interest in Northern Ireland is always welcome but it is hardly in a place to talk about political stability

​​Once again, the US ambassador to the UK has urged Northern Ireland politicians to return to Stormont.

Ambassador Jane Hartley said the Windsor Framework was a "real positive" for the region, and that NI should "take advantage" of it.

A group of US business leaders is visiting Belfast this week with a view to investing here. Ms Hartley said: "We worked pretty closely with the UK government. Although we weren't a participant in the Windsor Framework, I think it was a real positive and I would say now is time to sort of take advantage of that, have the parties get back together."

Ms Hartley said “if you're a corporation and you have a board of directors and things like that, you want political stability, especially after Covid. Companies want more political consistency”.

Again at this newspaper we repeat our belief in the closest possible relations between the UK and the US, our pride in the key role the Scots Irish played in the early America and our appreciation for US investors.

But Ms Hartley needs to be careful, for a few reasons.

America is not looking like it has much political stability right now. Indeed the turmoil there is alarming.

America also would not contemplate any part of Texan trade rules coming under the control of a central American group of nations or any part of Alaskan trade rules coming under Canadian control.

There are good reasons why the main unionist party has taken the stance it has.

Incidentally, while Sinn Fein politicians are increasingly strident in their displays of open contempt for Israel after the Hamas massacre of Jews it is unionist politicians who are taking the stance that Washington and London have done, of unwavering support for their key Middle Eastern ally, Israel.

NI is fortunate to have US interest in its welfare but careful diplomacy from America is welcome too.