Northern Ireland Assembly: why is it suspended, who is NI leader, will an election be called at Stormont?

Northern Ireland politicians have failed to form a devolved government in time for the midnight deadline meaning Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris will call for a new election to be held in the next 12 weeks.

The Northern Ireland Assembly has been suspended since February 2022 after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) resigned in protest of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The last election, which took place in May 2022, saw Sinn Fein voted the largest party for the first time, with Michelle O’Neil due to become the first ever Nationalist First Minister. However deadlock has ensued, with the DUP refusing to nominate a speaker.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson confirmed his party’s position on power-sharing has not changed, stating: “We do not believe that sufficient progress has been made to addressing the issues of concern to the people that we represent.”

So, why is the Northern Ireland Assembly suspended and where do we go from here? Here’s everything you need to know.

Why is the Northern Ireland Assembly suspended?

The Northern Ireland Assembly has been suspended since February 2022 when then DUP First Minister Paul Givan resigned in protest of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

For the Northern Ireland government to be able to function, members from the largest Nationalist and Unionist parties must agree to power-sharing, but the DUP has been refusing to do this, blaming the Northern Ireland Protocol, which manages trade after Brexit, for undermining NI’s place in the UK.

The protocol was devised to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland and aligns Northern Ireland with EU trade rules so that goods can move freely without having to undergo border checks.

Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since February 2022 and despite elections in May 2022 which saw Sinn Fein voted as the largest party, power-sharing is unable to restore without cooperation from the DUP.

Speaking after the last-ditch discussions were held today (27 October), DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson confirmed his party would not be nominating a speaker. Donaldson said: “We do not believe that sufficient progress has been made to addressing the issues of concern to the people that we represent.”

He added: “We were given a clear mandate in the assembly elections, and we would not nominate ministers to an executive until decisive action is taken on the protocol to remove the barriers to trade within our own country and to restore our place within the United Kingdom internal market.”

Who is the leader of Northern Ireland?

The leadership position of Northern Ireland is shared between the two largest parties in the role of First and Deputy First Minister.

Currently Northern Ireland has neither leader. In the last election held in May 2022, the largest political party in Northern Ireland was Sinn Fein, whose leader Michelle O’Neil would have become First Minister if a government had been formed. However, as the Assembly could not form, O’Neil was not able to take up her position as the first ever nationalist First Minister in Northern Ireland.

The leader of the second largest party, Jeffrey Donaldson of the DUP would have taken up the role of Deputy First Minister.

Will there be an election at Stormont?

Northern Ireland politicians have failed to prevent a Stormont election this December, with the Northern Ireland secretary left with no choice but to call an election in the next 12 weeks. The most likely date is 15 December, although one has not yet been confirmed.

Taking to Twitter, Heaton-Harris shared his disappointment stating: “I am extremely disappointed that the Executive has not reformed. The people of Northern Ireland deserve a fully-functioning devolved government.”

Adding: “ Today Stormont could be taking decisions to ease the challenges people face. Instead, the legal duty to act falls to me as Secretary of State. I will be providing an update on this.”

There is growing frustration amongst the public that another election will potentially be called at the cost of £6.5 million whilst people are struggling with the cost of living crisis. Households in Northern Ireland have been left reeling, with people still waiting to receive the £400 energy payment from the UK government.

Speaking to Sky News, Mark Knox who runs Aspire NI, a charity that supports young people from lower-income families with their education said: “Young people want to go on holiday, want to be able to afford to get a house, want to be able to grow up and get married, want a society that works rather than what flag is on the lamppost outside.

“Whether you’re British or Irish, if you can’t afford these things, what’s the use in either really?”