Stormont Assembly to be recalled on Wednesday in attempt to elect speaker after Sinn Fein petition

The Stormont Assembly is to be recalled at noon on Wednesday in the latest attempt to elect a speaker and appoint First and deputy First Ministers.

The order comes after over 30 members backed a Sinn Fein petition to recall MLAs.

This is the seventh time since the election in May 2022 that the Assembly has been recalled to appoint a speaker. The previous six have all seen the appointment blocked by the DUP.

That position is unlikely to change when the MLAs return to Stormont on Wednesday.

If no speaker is elected, the Secretary of State is legally required to call another election on Thursday, however, Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill says Chris Heaton-Harris has hinted he will again bring new legislation to postpone an election.

Mr Heaton-Harris is meeting with representatives of the main political parties at Stormont on Monday.

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