By Ross McKee & Iain McDowell BBC News IS There will be no election for the Stormont assembly before Christmas, the Northern Ireland Secretary has confirmed. Chris Heaton-Harris had said he would call a new vote after the deadline to restore power-sharing expired last week. The law requires an election within 12 weeks of the October 28 deadline, but it will not be held next month. The devolved government has not functioned since February, with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) blocking the formation of a ruling executive. The party has taken this stance in protest against the post-Brexit trade deal known as the Northern Ireland Protocol.
What did Chris Heaton-Harris say?
It was expected that a ballot could be held on December 15, and election officials had been preparing for that date. But on Friday, Mr Heaton-Harris said that, having heard concerns from citizens about the impact and cost of an early election, it would not be held “in view of the festive period”. He said he would present his next steps to Parliament next week and that his aim was in line with what the people of Northern Ireland deserved – the restoration of devolved government. media caption, “Our MLAs must get along” “My job is to create the right environment for parties in Northern Ireland to work together to restore devolved institutions and resolve critical issues affecting the people of Northern Ireland,” said Mr Heaton-Harris. “I do not take this task lightly, nor do I ignore the very real concerns that people have about the cost of living.” His comments came two days after Northern Ireland Office Secretary Steve Baker said a date for another Stormond election would soon be confirmed. 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 political parties. They dreaded the prospect of going to the polls 10 days before Christmas in an election showdown that would only deepen the political crisis. But Chris Heaton-Harris’s U-turn has damaged his credibility and raised questions about the Northern Ireland Office’s handling of the matter.
So when can elections be held?
The head of Northern Ireland’s electoral authority, Virginia McVea, said she had been given no instructions to schedule the election after Christmas in January. Her staff had a contingency plan for a Dec. 15 election, but that was withdrawn, she said. The latest an election could be held within the 12-week period set by Westminster is January 19, but that would require campaigning over Christmas. Instead, Mr Heaton-Harris may have to delay the new deadline by passing legislation in Westminster.
Why is Stormont in crisis again?
This meant Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill was eligible for the role of first minister. Image source PA MediaImage caption Michelle O’Neill says there is ‘no clarity or certainty’ from Chris Heaton-Harris about what happens next The DUP was the second largest party but refused to appoint a deputy first minister, meaning that a Northern Ireland government could not be formed. The protocol keeps Northern Ireland in line with certain EU trade rules to ensure goods can move freely across Irish land borders after Brexit. Unionist parties argue it has undermined Northern Ireland’s place in 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 that sufficient “flexibilities” can be found in the existing text.
Read more: The Stormont crisis explained
How did the politicians react?
Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin’s deputy leader, accused the Northern Ireland minister of “decisiveness and indecisiveness” for not calling an election. His announcement was a “continuation of the Tory chaos in London which is now paralyzing our politics”, he added. “The UK government and the DUP are leaving us in a prolonged state of political vacuum with no assembly, executive or service ministers,” he said. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson tweeted that there should be an “unrelenting focus on finding a solution” to his party’s concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol. We need a sharp focus on finding a solution, either through negotiations or legislation. There is no firm basis for a fully functioning Stormont until the NIP is replaced with arrangements that unionists can support. Progress in NI has only been made when unionists and nationalists are on board https://t.co/6B8ftsRo50 — Jeffrey Donaldson MP (@J_Donaldson_MP) November 4, 2022 The leader of the Alliance Party, Naomi Long, said she was pleased the Northern Ireland secretary had “heard about the folly” of holding an election. But he said he also had to “recognise that real reform of institutions is urgently needed” and that it was “time to end the ransom policy”. Doug Beattie, the Ulster Unionist leader, said it took a “degree of courage” for Heaton-Harris to rule out a December election. He said “we need to see some results” of negotiations between the UK and the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol before Christmas. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Chief Electoral Officer apologized to the election teller who was on hand for the December election date SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said with an election “started” Mr Heaton-Harris should focus on restoring Stormont and getting much-coveted cost-of-living support to families before the winter bites. Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin welcomed the decision not to call a referendum and called for time and space to help resolve the impasse. “Patience is a virtue when it comes to Northern Ireland,” he said. “In the modern age we tend to want clarification every day, but sometimes you have to take your time. “There is a new government in London and they need to be given space to deal with that.” Mr Martin added that his priority remained negotiating the protocol between the UK and the EU, but said he was not underestimating the challenges involved. A British-Irish Council summit is expected to take place next week in which ministers from London and Dublin will participate.
What were the concerns about the December election?
The prospect of a Christmas election was unpopular with both politicians and the public. The cost was a common complaint after the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland said it would cost around £6.5m to run the vote. There were also concerns about low voter turnout due to the colder weather, as well as extra pressure being put on venues such as schools being used as polling stations, with the potential for Christmas shows to be cancelled.
