Stormont leaders express concern that Labour is acting as a “distraction” while budget talks continue in Northern Ireland. The issue is framed around the fact that ministers have not yet agreed a budget for the current financial year. While discussions are ongoing, the reports indicate that the absence of an agreed budget remains unresolved, leaving uncertainty over how spending plans will be set for the rest of the year. The Evening Standard describes the concern among Stormont leadership, suggesting that attention directed toward Labour-related issues is taking time away from finalising the budget. The Belfast Telegraph headline mirrors the same framing, but no additional details are provided in the supplied excerpt. Across the accounts, the common focus is the stalled budget agreement and the political concern that other demands or negotiations may be diverting focus during the budgeting process. All sources presented here emphasize the same central point: ministers in Northern Ireland have not yet reached agreement on a budget for the current financial year.