MLAs sign roll of membership at Stormont

MLAs in the Assembly chamber. Credit: Press Eye

Northern Ireland's newly-elected MLAs have entered the Assembly chamber for the first plenary sitting since the election.

Members signed the roll of membership during Friday morning's session.

Sinn Féin representatives now sit on the right hand side of the chamber, having been returned as the largest party, while the DUP sits on the left.

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Earlier, DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson confirmed his party will not nominate a speaker as part of its opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Without a speaker, the Assembly will be prevented from carrying out business.

The DUP already indicated that it will not nominate for the position of deputy First Minister, which will prevent the forming of a new Executive.

Once the process of signing the roll of membership was completed, the Assembly sitting was suspended until 2.30pm, outgoing speaker Alex Maskey said.

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