Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist party made clear on Sunday it would resist any attempt by Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, to force it to agree to a timetable for devolving policing and justice powers.

Speaking ahead of Mrs Clinton’s visit to the province on Monday, Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP MP for Lagan Valley, said: “This is a matter that has to be decided between the parties and with the government in London.”