Stormont collapse likely after DUP ultimatum is rejected

A Stormont committee has refused to adjourn the Six County Assembly despite a DUP threat that it would otherwise pull down the North’s political institutions.

Yesterday, DUP leader Peter Robinson vowed that his party would resign from the Stormont Executive no later than tonight if the Assembly’s business committee did not agree the proposal or if the British government did not suspend the institutions.

It is thought a suspension could be announced within hours.

The unusually grave political crisis at Stormont deepened on Monday following the arrests of three top republicans on Wednesday, including Sinn Fein’s northern chairman Bobby Storey.

They are being questioned about the death last month of Short Strand man Kevin McGuigan, the chief suspect in the murder of former PIRA commander Jock Davison last May.

The PSNI police chief George Hamilton said last month that he suspected individual Provisional IRA members had a role in Mr McGuigan’s murder, although he admitted that the organisation no longer functions in a military capacity.

Sinn Fein maintains that the Provisional IRA has ceased to exist.

The current crisis was also sparked by the decision last week of the DUP’s main rivals, the UUP, to withdraw its minister from the power-sharing Executive and become an ‘opposition’ party.

“The contrived crisis has been provoked by the crass party politicking of [UUP leader] Mike Nesbitt who is incapable of providing leadership,” said Sinn Fein negotiator Conor Murphy.

“And in a further failure of leadership the DUP are foolishly responding to the stunt politics of the UUP.”

Sinn Fein voted against the adjournment, or recess, of the Assembly in today’s meeting of the Stormont business committee. They were supported by a combination of the SDLP and Ulster Unionist parties.

Votes on the business committee do not require cross-community support, but straight majorities. Last week, the DUP’s request for the adjournment was similarly rejected because it was supported only the Alliance Party.

The SDLP failed to change their mind despite a crisis meeting with the 26-County Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Dublin this morning. Party leader Alasdair McDonnell said earlier today the decision would be in the best interests of the “whole community”.

Nationalists had expressed concern at Robinson’s use of the ‘bullying’ tactic to force his agenda, and warned it could be used similarly again.

After today’s meeting, Mr Adams said he hoped both governments “will respect the integrity” of the decision taken by the Assembly via its business committee, and make it clear they will not suspend the institutions.

“We need real talks, not pretend talks” to resolve the outstanding issues, he added.

Urgent Appeal