PM Spox-Minister To Update Commons Wednesday On How To Restore NI Gov't

Wires carrying comments from PM Rishi Sunak's spox stating that Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris will update parliament on Wednesday 9 Nov about "the best means" to restore the devolved gov't in Northern Ireland.

• Heaton-Harris is obliged to facilitate the holding of a snap election to the Northern Ireland Assembly by 19 January 2023 following the collapse of talks to form a new power-sharing executive after the previous elections in May.
• The issue has gained international focus with regards to EU-UK relations. Both London and Brussels have talked up relations in recent days following Sunak taking power at No. 10, and there are concerns that an election campaign in NI could damage early technical talks taking place on the NI Protocol.
• If the UK gov't wants to avoid a snap election it would require new/altered legislation, but unclear what other options may be open given the inflexibility of politicians in NI to come to an agreement given the deep divisions over the NI protocol.