Northern Ireland election looms as Sinn Fein refuses to replace Martin McGuinness

Sinn Fein has announced it will not replace Martin McGuinness in a move that will trigger a snap Northern Ireland election.

Despite a last-ditch attempt by Theresa May to urge a resolution to the problems, the Northern Ireland Assembly has now reached the point of collapse and at 5pm the Northern Ireland Secretary will be forced to call an election.

Mr McGuinness resigned as deputy first minister a week ago over a botched renewable energy scheme - demanding the resignation of then DUP first minister Arlene Foster.

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Sinn Fein had seven days to renominate a deputy and resolve its differences with its partners in the power-sharing government with the DUP before the UK Government called an election.

However, it has formally given notice Mr McGuinness will not be renominated as deputy first minister.

Sinn Fein MLA Michelle O'Neill told the Northern Ireland Assembly: "The DUP have treated these institutions and sections of the community with contempt and arrogance."

Earlier, the DUP had renominated Mrs Foster as first minister. She stressed that the people of Northern Ireland did not need an election, which has been widely regarded as potentially damaging.

She said: "They have forced an election that risks Northern Ireland's future and stability and which suits nobody but themselves."

An election is now expected in late February or early March but indications are that Sinn Fein and the DUP will remain the two largest parties meaning they will still have to come to the negotiating table for a power-sharing arrangement.

If they fail to reach an agreement after three weeks then Mrs May could be left with little choice but to suspend devolution and reinstate rule from Westminster, just as she is in the run-up to Brexit negotiations.

Both Mr McGuinness and Mrs Foster had a telephone call from Mrs May urging them to find a resolution before the 5pm deadline.

The Prime Minister had stressed the importance of "finding a way forward" so that Northern Ireland could have a proper voice in the run-up to Brexit negotiations.

Mrs May has promised to trigger the formal EU divorce process by the end of March.

The PM's spokeswoman said: "We want to do all we can to make sure that the political stability in Northern Ireland, which was hard-earned, is not thrown away."

The move shatters the fragile power-sharing agreement that has held in Northern Ireland for 10 years.

Tensions boiled over when it emerged that a renewable energy scheme, which was presided over by Mrs Foster when she was enterprise minister, could cost taxpayers £500m.

The state-funded scheme was supposed to offer businesses a proportion of the cost of running eco-friendly boilers but the subsidy tariffs were set too high, which resulted in Stormont paying out significantly more than the price of fuel.

Mr McGuinness demanded Mrs Foster should step down while an investigation into her part in the scandal was carried out. She refused.

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt was gearing up for the election. He said: "It is referendum time. You can have more of the same or you can have change. We are for change."