British secretary: Northern Ireland to go to polls 2nd time this year

Voters in Northern Ireland will go to the polls for a second time this year as politicians failed to reach an agreement on forming a new devolved government within six months after the May 5 election.

Britain’s Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris announced on Friday (Oct 28) that the snap election will be held but he will reveal the details next week on Friday (Nov 4).

Speaking to journalists in Belfast, Chris Heaton-Harris said he "will be calling an election" as the deadline passed.

Harris added that he is "deeply disappointed" to now be faced with "limited options."

"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," the secretary said.

Harris said: "I will take limited but necessary steps to ensure that public services do continue to run and to protect the public finances but there is a limit to what the secretary of state can do in these circumstances."

Sinn Fein finds its voice in Ireland after vote gains ( File photo AFP Ben STANSALL

"I hear it when the parties say that they really do not want an election at all. But nearly all of them are parties who signed up to the rules, the law," he added.

"That means I need to call an election so you'll hear more from me on that particular point next week."

The announcement came after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) on Thursday (Oct 27) blocked efforts to form a new Executive due to their ongoing stance on the Northern Ireland Protocol – an addendum to the UK’s EU Withdrawal Agreement, which keeps Northern Ireland aligned with EU trade rules to avoid a hard border with Ireland.

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The Northern Ireland Assembly held a last-minute sitting to see if a deal could be struck between nationalist Sinn Fein and the DUP to form the new devolved government six months after the election.

Sinn Fein secured a historic victory in May, winning a majority of 27 seats in Stormont, making it the first nationalist party to take control of the assembly in its century of existence.

According to the Northern Ireland-specific law and the latest election result, a power-sharing devolved government can only be formed under an agreement between Sinn Fein and the DUP.

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Sinn Fein nominated the party’s Vice President Michelle O’Neill as the new first minister, but the DUP has repeatedly refused to nominate a deputy and said it would not change its stance unless the Northern Ireland Protocol is scrapped.

The Northern Ireland Protocol has been a source of tension since it came into force at the start of 2021.

The UK and European Union (EU) are holding talks on a way forward.

But disagreements over the protocol have stopped the Northern Ireland Assembly functioning and mean new elections may have to be held.

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The Northern Ireland Protocol is a trading arrangement, negotiated during Brexit talks. It allows goods to be transported across the Irish land border without the need for checks.

Before Brexit, it was easy to transport goods across this border because both sides followed the same EU rules. After the UK left, special trading arrangements were needed because Northern Ireland has a land border with the Republic of Ireland, which is part of the EU.

The EU has strict food rules and requires border checks when certain goods - such as milk and eggs - arrive from non-EU countries. That's why a new system - the Northern Ireland Protocol - was needed.

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The border is a sensitive issue because of Northern Ireland's troubled political history. It was feared that cameras or border posts could lead to instability.

The UK and the EU agreed that protecting the Northern Ireland peace deal - the Good Friday Agreement - was an absolute priority.

So, both sides signed the Northern Ireland Protocol as part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. It is now part of international law.

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