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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| NI election: Sinn Féin says talks to be held on Tuesday | NI election: Sinn Féin says talks to be held on Tuesday |
| (4 months later) | |
| Conor Murphy wants to know what Chris Heaton-Harris is planning to do about an election | Conor Murphy wants to know what Chris Heaton-Harris is planning to do about an election |
| Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy has said his party will meet the Northern Ireland secretary on Tuesday to discuss when a Stormont election will happen. | Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy has said his party will meet the Northern Ireland secretary on Tuesday to discuss when a Stormont election will happen. |
| Chris Heaton-Harris has said he will call a poll but has not set a date. | Chris Heaton-Harris has said he will call a poll but has not set a date. |
| He said he would hold another round of talks with the Stormont parties in the coming week before giving more details about a potential election. | He said he would hold another round of talks with the Stormont parties in the coming week before giving more details about a potential election. |
| But Phillip Brett of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said more discussions would be "pointless". | But Phillip Brett of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said more discussions would be "pointless". |
| Devolved government in Northern Ireland has not functioned since February. | Devolved government in Northern Ireland has not functioned since February. |
| The DUP has blocked the restoration of power-sharing in its protest against the post-Brexit trading arrangement known as the Northern Ireland Protocol. | The DUP has blocked the restoration of power-sharing in its protest against the post-Brexit trading arrangement known as the Northern Ireland Protocol. |
| The political parties had expected the Northern Ireland secretary to announce on Friday when an election would take place. | The political parties had expected the Northern Ireland secretary to announce on Friday when an election would take place. |
| But Mr Heaton-Harris declined to set a date. | But Mr Heaton-Harris declined to set a date. |
| NI Assembly election to be called but no date set | NI Assembly election to be called but no date set |
| Speaking to BBC News NI on Saturday, Mr Murphy described the lack of an announcement as "bizarre and unexpected". | Speaking to BBC News NI on Saturday, Mr Murphy described the lack of an announcement as "bizarre and unexpected". |
| "We were as surprised by his U-turn as everyone else," said the former finance minister. | "We were as surprised by his U-turn as everyone else," said the former finance minister. |
| Chris Heaton-Harris denies he made a U-turn about calling an election | Chris Heaton-Harris denies he made a U-turn about calling an election |
| Chris Heaton-Harris denies he made a U-turn about calling an election | Chris Heaton-Harris denies he made a U-turn about calling an election |
| "We're not certain what's behind it... we have had no discussion with him at all and no advance warning of what he's going to do. | "We're not certain what's behind it... we have had no discussion with him at all and no advance warning of what he's going to do. |
| "I think that's the wrong way to do business." | "I think that's the wrong way to do business." |
| Mr Murphy said Sinn Féin planned to meet Mr Heaton-Harris on Tuesday to understand what the Northern Ireland Office is "actually doing". | Mr Murphy said Sinn Féin planned to meet Mr Heaton-Harris on Tuesday to understand what the Northern Ireland Office is "actually doing". |
| "What we want to know from the secretary of state is when [an election] is going to take place," he said. | "What we want to know from the secretary of state is when [an election] is going to take place," he said. |
| 'Focus on protocol' | 'Focus on protocol' |
| Mr Brett of the DUP said he said he wanted the UK government to resolve his party's concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol. | Mr Brett of the DUP said he said he wanted the UK government to resolve his party's concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol. |
| A simple guide to the Northern Ireland Protocol | A simple guide to the Northern Ireland Protocol |
| It keeps Northern Ireland aligned with some EU trade rules to ensure that goods can move freely across the Irish land border. | It keeps Northern Ireland aligned with some EU trade rules to ensure that goods can move freely across the Irish land border. |
| Unionist parties argue that the protocol has undermined Northern Ireland's place within the UK by effectively creating a trade border with England, Scotland and Wales. | Unionist parties argue that the protocol has undermined Northern Ireland's place within the UK by effectively creating a trade border with England, Scotland and Wales. |
| Devolved government at Stormont has not functioned properly since February | Devolved government at Stormont has not functioned properly since February |
| "We've been talking for two-and-a-half years - now is the time for action," said Mr Brett. | "We've been talking for two-and-a-half years - now is the time for action," said Mr Brett. |
| "We will not re-enter the executive until action is taken to replace the protocol with arrangements that have cross-community support. | "We will not re-enter the executive until action is taken to replace the protocol with arrangements that have cross-community support. |
| "That is where the focus needs to be, not on pointless talks." | "That is where the focus needs to be, not on pointless talks." |
| Read more: Stormont crisis explained | Read more: Stormont crisis explained |
| Q&A: Is Northern Ireland going back to the polls? | Q&A: Is Northern Ireland going back to the polls? |
| Stormont ministers depart - but how did they do? | Stormont ministers depart - but how did they do? |
| Who is NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris? | Who is NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris? |
| Brexit and Northern Ireland: What does each side want? | Brexit and Northern Ireland: What does each side want? |
| The political parties had until Friday to form a functioning executive at Stormont but the DUP blocked that from happening. | The political parties had until Friday to form a functioning executive at Stormont but the DUP blocked that from happening. |
| Legislation states that an election must therefore be held within 12 weeks. | Legislation states that an election must therefore be held within 12 weeks. |
| It had been expected that one would take place on 15 December. | It had been expected that one would take place on 15 December. |
| Mr Heaton-Harris denied that he had made a U-turn, saying that a vote did not have to be called immediately. | Mr Heaton-Harris denied that he had made a U-turn, saying that a vote did not have to be called immediately. |
| 'Space to think' | 'Space to think' |
| Alliance Party MLA Kate Nicholl said she was relieved that a date for the poll had not been announced. | Alliance Party MLA Kate Nicholl said she was relieved that a date for the poll had not been announced. |
| "We really hope that there won't be [an election] and that we can use this time to be constructive," she said. | "We really hope that there won't be [an election] and that we can use this time to be constructive," she said. |
| "People need us to do our jobs and to work together - it's what we were elected to do." | "People need us to do our jobs and to work together - it's what we were elected to do." |
| Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MP Clare Hanna said an election was now "less likely". | Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MP Clare Hanna said an election was now "less likely". |
| Kate Nicholl says the political parties should be constructive in the coming days | Kate Nicholl says the political parties should be constructive in the coming days |
| She said the Mr Heaton-Harris's decision not to declare a polling date on Friday had "created space to think about what the actual impact of an election would be". | She said the Mr Heaton-Harris's decision not to declare a polling date on Friday had "created space to think about what the actual impact of an election would be". |
| "I think by common consensus it wouldn't be helpful," she said. | "I think by common consensus it wouldn't be helpful," she said. |
| The previous assembly election in May resulted in Sinn Féin winning the most seats for the first time. | The previous assembly election in May resulted in Sinn Féin winning the most seats for the first time. |
| That meant the party's vice-president Michelle O'Neill was entitled to the role of first minister. | That meant the party's vice-president Michelle O'Neill was entitled to the role of first minister. |
| The DUP was the second-biggest party but it refused to nominate a deputy first minister, meaning a ruling executive for Northern Ireland could not be formed. | The DUP was the second-biggest party but it refused to nominate a deputy first minister, meaning a ruling executive for Northern Ireland could not be formed. |
| In the run-up to that election the DUP withdrew Paul Givan from the first minister post in protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol. | In the run-up to that election the DUP withdrew Paul Givan from the first minister post in protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol. |
| Related Topics | |
| Sinn Féin | |
| NI Brexit | |
| Alliance Party (Northern Ireland) | |
| Chris Heaton-Harris | |
| Northern Ireland Assembly | |
| DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) | |
| Conor Murphy | |
| Claire Hanna | |
| SDLP (Social Democratic and Labour Party) | |
| Northern Ireland Executive |