Stormont Assembly recalled in new bid to elect speaker

The Stormont Assembly will meet on Monday in a new bid to nominate a speaker after more than 30 MLAs signed a recall petition.

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill said it was important that the Assembly meets to “get down to business” and starts delivering for the public.

But DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has branded the recall motion from Sinn Fein as a “stunt”.

Sir Jeffrey’s party has so far blocked the election of a speaker and the formation of an Executive following the Northern Ireland Assembly elections, as part of its protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Following a motion from Sinn Fein, outgoing Speaker Alex Maskey said in a letter to MLAs that the purpose of Monday’s recall was to elect a speaker, deputy speakers and to appoint a first minister and deputy first minister.

Ms O’Neill said: “It’s really important that we recall the Assembly and that we attempt, once again, to form an Executive and get the Assembly up and running to deal with the cost-of-living crisis, to deal with fixing our health service and every other issue that is pending.

“I am glad that other parties have supported our recall petition because this means we have another opportunity to elect a speaker, put ministers into posts and get down business and start to deliver for the public.

“That is the democratic outworking of the election and that must be respected.

“I’m glad all of us who want to make politics work will be in that Chamber on Monday and will debate this.

“I hope that we can get to a point where we can actually elect people into post.”

But Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said his party would continue to block the return of the devolved powersharing institutions until it saw action over the protocol.

Sir Jeffrey said: “When you consider that for three long years, and on a number of occasions during that period when this Assembly was recalled to elect a speaker, that Sinn Fein on each occasion absented themselves from those proceedings.

“Most people out there will take with a pinch of salt Sinn Fein’s new-found determination to restore working institutions that they abandoned for three years.

“And if they think that pulling a stunt like this next Monday is going to change things then they really don’t understand unionism and our determination to stand our ground until we get the decisive action that is required to move us all forward.”