A DUP politician has admitted that the party does not have the power to block marriage equality in Northern Ireland, even if it wanted to.

Christopher Stalford, the MLA for South Belfast, claimed that Sinn Féin was responsible for delaying marriage equality because it had not yet reached an agreement with the DUP to restore the Stormont Assembly.

Mr Stalford was speaking after last week’s Northern Irish council elections, in which the Alliance Party increased its seats from 32 to 53. The DUP lost eight council seats and Sinn Féin’s representation remained the same.

He congratulated the Alliance Party and suggested that it had “very successfully” tapped into the frustration of the public over the lack of a devolved government. Northern Ireland has been without