SoS says he'll update on Stormont election next week

Chris Heaton-Harris said today (Friday) he will provide an update on calling an election for the Assembly next week.

It had been widely anticipated that the Secretary of State would announce the date for an election today after a deadline to restore devolved government at Stormont passed at midnight.

Instead he told a media gathering in Belfast that he would give more information next week and would meet with the Stormont parties.

He said he was faced with "limited options".

He added: "I am deeply disappointed we are where are are now.

"This is a really serious situation. As of a minute past midnight last night, there are no longer ministers in office in the Northern Ireland Executive.

"I will take limited but necessary steps to ensure public services do continue and to protect the public finances.

"But there is a limit to what the Secretary of State can do in these circumstances."

He also pointed out he did not have to call an election immediately.

"I have listened to the party leaders, I am going to talk to them all again next week. But I will be calling an election," he added.

"Nearly all the parties who have been saying this won't help the situation actually signed up to the rules that make this situation happen.

"Why call it now? Because I am legally bound to do so."

The Secretary of State said he had had "lots and lots of talks with all the parties and will continue to do so."

"I hear it when parties say that they really do not want an election at all but nearly all of them are parties who signed up to the law that means I need to call an election," he said.

"So you'll hear more from me on that particular point next week."

Mr Heaton-Harris also addressed MLA salaries and said.

"At a time when so many are struggling with the cost of living and fearful of what is to come, I understand people's frustration that MLAs continue to draw a full salary when they are not performing all the duties they were elected to do," he said.

"So, I will be considering my options to act on MLA pay. "

With no ministerial executive in place, the UK Government assumes a legal responsibility to call another election.

Stormont ministers, who have been operating in shadow form since the Assembly collapsed earlier this year, also ceased to hold office at midnight.

Responsibility for running devolved departments will now pass to senior civil servants, although their powers are limited.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill accused Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris of a "u-turn", after he failed to name a date for an Assembly election despite promising to call a poll after efforts to restore devolution failed.

Speaking in Belfast, she said that people in Northern Ireland are now "left in limbo".

She told reporters: "Today, he is doing a bizarre u-turn, one of which he obviously communicated to the media in advance of speaking to the local parties, from my understanding at least.

"I think just think it is bizarre, it reflects the chaotic nature of the Tories, it is more dysfunction, it is spilling into our politics. But you see for the workers and families tonight and the businesses that are struggling, the people here that are left without an Assembly, an Executive, there is not even a caretaker minister in place and we have a situation tonight where people just don't know what is going to happen next."

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, said that his party is "ready to fight" an election.

"The chaos continues and we do not yet know whether we are going to have an election in Northern Ireland or not. The Northern Ireland Office has been talking up for some time the prospect of an election but evidently no decision has yet been taken. And we're ready to fight an election," he told reporters in Belfast.

"I will be travelling around all the constituencies as we prepare to fight a campaign to ensure we renew the mandate we have been given, which is very clear, and that is until we get decisive action to restore Northern Ireland's place in the UK internal market and remove the rubble and debris of the protocol, we are not in a position and there is not a consensus for the restoration of the devolved institutions."

Irish Premiere Micheal Martin said it was "regrettable" that the DUP did not take its seats in the Assembly and facilitate the formation of the Executive.

"We should see can we take the opportunity to pause, to see whether we can get the institutions back. And in parallel with that have substantive negotiations between the UK Government and the European Union," the Taoiseach said.

"The law does provide for an election - I acknowledge that. But we know what elections can do.

"It can lead to further polarisation. There is an obligation on everybody not to allow that to happen and to think of the overall objective of making sure we can get an agreement wbetween the EUorpean Uino and the United Kingdom."

Mr Martin added that he "genuinely" believes there is a desire on behalf of the UK Government and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to find a negotiated resolution to the protocol issues.