The latest deadline to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland has passed with the devolved institutions in Belfast still in cold storage.Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris made clear he will not make an announcement about any potential election date for at least several weeks.
On Thursday, Mr Heaton-Harris and fellow UK ministers joined counterparts from Ireland's government for a meeting of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin."You will be aware that there are also important talks going on in Brussels between the UK government and European Union."So, I think it's worth me taking the time to consider my options."
"I made those points three years ago when the Assembly was collapsed by another party and we had about a three-year absence and it was something I could never accept as a democrat." If a deal emerges in the coming weeks, and the DUP agrees to re-enter powersharing on the back of it, Mr Heaton-Harris could then ask Parliament to retrospectively extend the January 19 deadline for forming an executive - meaning the parties could return to Stormont without the need for a fresh election.
The party has made it clear it will only go back into devolved government if significant changes are delivered on the protocol. The DUP has made it clear any agreement that may emerge must meet its tests on removing trade barriers if it is to countenance a return to Stormont."The issues cannot be dodged," she said.
The most important election in generations. The usual nonsense from the corrupt politicians