A snap election is likely to be triggered in Northern Ireland this afternoon after power-sharing party Sinn Fein refused to re-nominate a deputy first minister.
The country is said to be in political crisis and its coalition government – which has united Catholic and Protestant politicians - on the brink of collapse.
Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness was sharing power with first minister Arlene Foster of the Democratic Unionist Party.
But Mr McGuinness quit as deputy first minister last week in protest at the DUP’s handling of a government green energy scheme. Flaws in the scheme could cost taxpayers £400 million, it is claimed.
The move plunged Stormont, the Northern Ireland Assembly, into crisis.
Unless the Republican party Sinn Fein make a u-turn on their decision not to put up a new deputy first minister, from 5pm today the Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire will be legally obliged to call an election.
Mrs Foster said the electorate did not want or need an election and accused Sinn Fein of triggering a poll because they did not like the outcome of last May's vote.
