UK delays Northern Ireland election until March

The British government said it was further delaying holding an election in Northern Ireland until at least March 2023. London cited that it was to make more space for talks with the European Union over the post-Brexit trading arrangements.

London announced Wednesday that it will push back an election for Northern Ireland even further until March 2023. The delay was to provide more time for the ongoing discussions with the bloc over the post-Brexit trade arrangements. The region has been under a political deadlock since the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party staged a boycott in February in protest at the trade arrangements between the UK and the bloc.

The Democratic Unionist Party has since refused to return after the election in May, resulting in the Irish nationist Sinn Fein Party becoming the largest faction in Northern Ireland’s government. The six-month deadline to form a government in the region expired last month. The UK’s minister for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton Harris, said he was obligated to hold an election within 12 weeks of the October 28 deadline.

Speaking to parliament Wednesday, Heaton Harris said he was introducing a delay that meant the 12-week timeframe will start until December 8, with a possible further delay to January 19 if needed. This would mean that the election in Northern Ireland would have to be held by March 2 or April 13.

“The legislation I will introduce intends to create the time and space needed for the talks between the UK and the European Union to develop, and for the Northern Ireland parties to work together to restore the devolved institutions as soon as possible,” said Heaton Harris in a statement.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will be the first in 15 years to attend the British-Irish Summit on Thursday to meet with the leaders of the Scottish and Welsh devolved governments in an effort to rebuild relations. The British-Irish Council was established as part of the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement to promote cooperation between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Sunak will meet with his Irish counterpart Micheal Martin ahead of the summit in North West England, along with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford.