the power sharing executive, or face new elections. the assembly hasn t been sitting because of the refusal of the democratic unionist party to elect a speaker or a deputy first minister because of their dislike of the northern ireland protocol the trading arrangement negotiated during brexit, which has been a source of tension since it came into effect last year. if a speaker isn t elected by tonight s deadline, then the northern ireland secretary chris heaton harris says a fresh assembly election will be called. 0ur correspondent charlotte gallagher is at stormont. a pre christmas election, very much on the cards here. politicians meeting in the building behind me trying to get back together, trying to get back to work. it looks really unlikely. still these huge blocks. the democratic unionist party say now not going back until the protocol is axed or significantly
the assembly was recalled at noon to try and appoint a speaker. they have had a vote on that and they have failed to appoint a speaker. the stormont executive has not functioned since the elections in may. the dup had refused to take part in nominating a speaker as part of their protest over the post brexit trading arrangements that affect northern ireland, that is the northern ireland protocol, as it is known. and the assembly cannot convene without a speaker being appointed. there is a midnight deadline, it is midnight tonight, that will take us to 2a weeks since the election, and at that point, the uk government can then call fresh elections, which the new northern ireland secretary chris heaton harris has said he will do. so, in light of the assembly now adjourning, it suggests that is the
adjourned successor is elected. i therefore adjourned the setting until a future date. adjourned the setting until a future date. the adjourned the setting until a future date, the details of which will be communicated to members in due course communicated to members in due course the communicated to members in due course. the question is, do the assembly course. the question is, do the assembly now adjourned? the assembly is adjourned. let s assembly now ad ourned? the assembly is ad ourned. . . assembly now ad ourned? the assembly is ad ourned. , , ., ., is adjourned. let s listen to that moment when is adjourned. let s listen to that moment when the is adjourned. let s listen to that moment when the northern - is adjourned. let s listen to that. moment when the northern ireland assembly failed to elect a new speaker, that is what we were just hearing a moment ago and listening in to that was charlotte gallagher who laid out what will happen now that a speaker has
direction things are heading in. we will wait and see if we hear anything from the westminster government about the next steps. we will also bring early reaction from both sinn fein, the largest party in northern ireland at the moment, in terms of numbers of seats, and also if we hear anything from the democratic unionist party reacting to the fact that as we were saying in the last few minutes the northern ireland assembly has once again been adjourned after failing to nominate adjourned after failing to nominate a speaker, meaning the assembly cannot convene power sharing cannot be resumed. northern ireland politics still somewhat in limbo, as a result. we will return to that as soon as we get any div elements or reactions here on bbc news. about 350,000 nhs staff are to start voting on whether to strike over pay.