A new attempt to restore Stormont’s institutions got under way yesterday as Julian Smith, Britain’s Northern Ireland secretary, met party leaders in an effort to begin new talks between them. If a devolved executive is not resurrected by January 13, the legislation that gives the civil service extra powers to run public services will expire, and Mr Smith will be under a legal duty to call a snap election. Northern Ireland’s two main parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin, go into the latest negotiations after disappointing results in last week’s UK general election. Many people have interpreted the election as the public passing judgment on the parties’ failure to restore the assembly. A spiralling crisis in the region’s health service has heaped further pressure on…

Source: The Times December 17, 2019 00:07 UTC