UK: Minister says Northern Ireland election to happen in the next 12 weeks

The British government is pledged to hold a new election to Northern Ireland’s parliament in the next 12 weeks. The new election comes amidst a political deadlock in the region that may leave Northern Ireland toward direct London rule.

The British minister for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, said Friday last week that an election for Northern Ireland’s parliament may be held in the coming weeks. However, Heaton-Harris did not specify what date the election may be, which would touch on the United Kingdom’s dispute with the European Union over post-Brexit trade rules for the region.

“I’m under a legal duty to call an election within 12 weeks,” Heaton-Harris told journalists in Belfast. “You’ll hear more from me on that particular point next week.”

Local media in Northern Ireland said the election may likely happen on December 15. The region has been under a political deadlock since February when its pro-British Democratic Unionist Party boycotted power-sharing in protest over the post-Brexit trading arrangements between the UK and the bloc.

The elections that took place in May, which saw the Irish nationalist opposition Sinn Fein taking the most seats, failed to break the deadlock in the parliament. The British government said it is legally obligated to call for a new election after 24 weeks, which ended on Thursday last week. Northern Ireland’s main political parties said they expect a new vote will not do much to break the deadlock as the disruption to governance may draw public outrage.

The DUP said it would not join a power-sharing government, which is compulsory in the region, until its post-Brexit trade arrangement concerns are addressed.

The day before Heaton-Harris’s comments, the spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Thursday last week that the elections could still be avoided, urging the political parties to restore the region’s government.

“There is still time for the DUP and executives to get back to Stormont,” said the spokesman. “So we urge them to do so because the people of Northern Ireland deserve a fully functioning and locally elected executive which can respond to the issues facing the communities there.”