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| No Christmas election for Northern Ireland Assembly | No Christmas election for Northern Ireland Assembly |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| There will not be a Stormont assembly election before Christmas, the Northern Ireland secretary has confirmed. | |
| Chris Heaton-Harris had said he would call another poll after the deadline to restore power-sharing passed last week. | Chris Heaton-Harris had said he would call another poll after the deadline to restore power-sharing passed last week. |
| The law requires an election within 12 weeks of that 28 October deadline but it will not happen next month. | The law requires an election within 12 weeks of that 28 October deadline but it will not happen next month. |
| Devolved government has not functioned since February, with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) blocking the formation of the ruling executive. | Devolved government has not functioned since February, with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) blocking the formation of the ruling executive. |
| The party has taken that stance in its protest against the post-Brexit trading arrangement known as the Northern Ireland Protocol. | The party has taken that stance in its protest against the post-Brexit trading arrangement known as the Northern Ireland Protocol. |
| What has Chris Heaton-Harris said? | What has Chris Heaton-Harris said? |
| It had been expected that a poll could take place on 15 December and electoral staff had been preparing for that date. | It had been expected that a poll could take place on 15 December and electoral staff had been preparing for that date. |
| But early on Friday morning Mr Heaton-Harris said no election would "take place in December or ahead of the festive season". | But early on Friday morning Mr Heaton-Harris said no election would "take place in December or ahead of the festive season". |
| He said that since the 28 October deadline he had listened to people's "sincere concerns about the impact and cost of an election at this time". | He said that since the 28 October deadline he had listened to people's "sincere concerns about the impact and cost of an election at this time". |
| "Next week I will make a statement in Parliament to lay out my next steps," he added. | "Next week I will make a statement in Parliament to lay out my next steps," he added. |
| Chris Heaton-Harris has a legal duty to call an election in a bid to resolve the Stormont crisis | Chris Heaton-Harris has a legal duty to call an election in a bid to resolve the Stormont crisis |
| "My objective, what the people of Northern Ireland deserve, is the restoration of a strong devolved government. | "My objective, what the people of Northern Ireland deserve, is the restoration of a strong devolved government. |
| "My duty is to create the right environment for the parties in Northern Ireland to work together to restore the devolved institutions and deliver on crucial issues impacting Northern Ireland's people. | "My duty is to create the right environment for the parties in Northern Ireland to work together to restore the devolved institutions and deliver on crucial issues impacting Northern Ireland's people. |
| "I do not take this duty lightly, nor do I overlook the very real concerns people have around their cost of living." | "I do not take this duty lightly, nor do I overlook the very real concerns people have around their cost of living." |
| His comments come two days after Northern Ireland Office Minister Steve Baker said a date for another Stormont election would be confirmed soon. | His comments come two days after Northern Ireland Office Minister Steve Baker said a date for another Stormont election would be confirmed soon. |
| You can almost feel the collective sigh of relief. | You can almost feel the collective sigh of relief. |
| The Northern Ireland secretary's decision to scrap his December election plan is an early Christmas present for the political parties. | The Northern Ireland secretary's decision to scrap his December election plan is an early Christmas present for the political parties. |
| They dreaded the prospect of going to the polls 10 days before Christmas in an election which was only ever going to deepen the political crisis. | They dreaded the prospect of going to the polls 10 days before Christmas in an election which was only ever going to deepen the political crisis. |
| But the U-turn by Chris Heaton-Harris has damaged his creditability and raised questions about how it was managed by the Northern Ireland Office. | But the U-turn by Chris Heaton-Harris has damaged his creditability and raised questions about how it was managed by the Northern Ireland Office. |
| Read more: Early Christmas present but what now for NI poll? | Read more: Early Christmas present but what now for NI poll? |
| Why is Stormont in crisis again? | Why is Stormont in crisis again? |
| The most recent assembly election in May resulted in Sinn Féin winning the most seats for the first time. | The most recent assembly election in May resulted in Sinn Féin winning the most seats for the first time. |
| That meant Michelle O'Neill from that party was entitled to the role of first minister. | That meant Michelle O'Neill from that party 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. |
| The DUP has refused to return to power-sharing at Stormont until the Northern Ireland Protocol is scrapped or changed. | The DUP has refused to return to power-sharing at Stormont until the Northern Ireland Protocol is scrapped or changed. |
| The protocol keeps Northern Ireland aligned with some EU trade rules to ensure that goods can move freely across the Irish land border after Brexit. | The protocol keeps Northern Ireland aligned with some EU trade rules to ensure that goods can move freely across the Irish land border after Brexit. |
| Unionist parties argue that it has undermined Northern Ireland's place within the UK by effectively creating a trade border with England, Scotland and Wales. | Unionist parties argue that it has undermined Northern Ireland's place within the UK by effectively creating a trade border with England, Scotland and Wales. |
| The UK wants a fundamental rewrite of the treaty while the EU believes sufficient "flexibilities" can be found within the existing text. | The UK wants a fundamental rewrite of the treaty while the EU believes sufficient "flexibilities" can be found within the existing text. |
| How have the politicians reacted? | How have the politicians reacted? |
| After the Northern Ireland secretary's announcement, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson tweeted that there should be a "razor sharp focus on getting a solution" to his party's concerns about the protocol. | After the Northern Ireland secretary's announcement, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson tweeted that there should be a "razor sharp focus on getting a solution" to his party's concerns about the protocol. |
| We need a razor sharp focus on getting a solution, whether by negotiation or legislation. There is no solid basis for a fully functioning Stormont until NIP is replaced with arrangements that unionists can support. Progress in NI only made when unionists & nationalists are aboard https://t.co/6B8ftsRo50 | We need a razor sharp focus on getting a solution, whether by negotiation or legislation. There is no solid basis for a fully functioning Stormont until NIP is replaced with arrangements that unionists can support. Progress in NI only made when unionists & nationalists are aboard https://t.co/6B8ftsRo50 |
| Sinn Féin assembly member John O'Dowd said the Northern Ireland secretary had "caused major problems" and "shown his inability to lead" by failing to call an election. | Sinn Féin assembly member John O'Dowd said the Northern Ireland secretary had "caused major problems" and "shown his inability to lead" by failing to call an election. |
| He described Mr Heaton-Harris's handling of the Stormont crisis as a "classic example of Tory chaos". | He described Mr Heaton-Harris's handling of the Stormont crisis as a "classic example of Tory chaos". |
| Alliance Party assembly member Eoin Tennyson said the decision not to call an election in December was the "correct move". | Alliance Party assembly member Eoin Tennyson said the decision not to call an election in December was the "correct move". |
| "During the time when people in Northern Ireland are really struggling, the last thing they want is squandering £6.5m [to run] an election, stroking our own egos and actually not solving any of the fundamental issues," he said. | "During the time when people in Northern Ireland are really struggling, the last thing they want is squandering £6.5m [to run] an election, stroking our own egos and actually not solving any of the fundamental issues," he said. |
| Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said it had taken a "degree of courage" for Mr Heaton-Harris to rule out an election in December. | |
| He said "we need to see some outcomes" of the negotiations between the UK and the EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol before Christmas. | |
| SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said with the election "kicked into touch", Mr Heaton-Harris should "focus on restoring Stormont and getting much-needed cost of living support to families before winter bites hard". | |
| Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said that "no election pre-Christmas is welcome". | Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said that "no election pre-Christmas is welcome". |
| What were the concerns about a December election? | What were the concerns about a December election? |
| The prospect of an election in the run-up to Christmas was generally not a popular one for politicians or the public. | |
| The cost had been one common complaint after the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland said it would need about £6.5m to run the poll. | The cost had been one common complaint after the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland said it would need about £6.5m to run the poll. |
| Policing the previous election in May had cost more than £670,000. | Policing the previous election in May had cost more than £670,000. |
| Chief Constable Simon Byrne said a similar total would have to be spent if another election was held this month. | Chief Constable Simon Byrne said a similar total would have to be spent if another election was held this month. |
| There had also been concerns about a low turn-out of voters amid the colder weather, as well as extra pressure that would have been put on venues such as schools that were due to be used as polling stations. | There had also been concerns about a low turn-out of voters amid the colder weather, as well as extra pressure that would have been put on venues such as schools that were due to be used as polling stations. |
| Read more: Stormont crisis explained | Read more: Stormont crisis explained |
| A simple guide to the Northern Ireland Protocol | A simple guide to the Northern Ireland Protocol |
| Who is NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris? | Who is NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris? |
| Stormont ministers depart - but how did they do? | Stormont ministers depart - but how did they do? |