jeffrey donaldson and the dup are in a stand off with the public, the majority of whom they don t speak for. he stood for election, but failed to show up. this is his mess and a failure of leadership by him and a failure of leadership by him and his party. he and the dup are left us at the mercy of the tory government. the tories careless for the consequences of their decision and their political choices on the lives of workers and families here. jeffrey donaldson points the finger at everyone else for the dup s failures. the facts are that back in may, people voted for change. they voted, because they want politics to work. the want grown up politicians to take challenges seriously. jeffrey donaldson and the dup do not take these matters seriously. at a
let s return now to one of our top stories this hour as politicians in northern ireland are attempting to elect a new speaker at stormont, as part of efforts to restore devolved government. but they re up against a deadline of midnight otherwise they ll face another election. the dup has said it will not support the re establishment of the assembly in protest against post brexit trading arrangements affecting northern ireland. let s hear what sinn fein s michelle 0 neill had to say at the start of proceedings in stormont. most of us are here, because we want to do thejob most of us are here, because we want to do the job that we were elected to do the job that we were elected to do. today, our care taker ministers rally to take decisions within tight limits before civil servants are left in an impossible position where they are expected to run our public services and yet have no budget and no powers to to so.
is the cost of living crisis, the protocol is the biggest driver of that within a northern ireland context. so as people a northern ireland context. so as people face a cost of living crisis, the secretary of state is set to call an the secretary of state is set to call an election so he can save face call an election so he can save face to call an election so he can save face to do call an election so he can save face. to do so by the secretary of state face. to do so by the secretary of state will face. to do so by the secretary of state will be an admission of failure state will be an admission of failure on his part and the part of uk government, because it is they who have uk government, because it is they who have promised the northern iretand who have promised the northern ireland protocol bill, who are negotiating with the eu and to this day have negotiating with the eu and to this day have has been failure on the part of day have has been failure on th
time when so many workers and families and businesses are suffering from the incredible pressures of the cost of living crisis and our health service is broken and waiting lists need to be tackled, people need to know that we have their backs. the secretary of state met with the parties yesterday and restated his position that one minute past midnight should no first minister and no deputy first minister and no deputy first minister be appointed that he will call another election. and here we are hear in this chamber in and in this hourwow are hear in this chamber in and in this hour wow could appoint a speaker, a first minister, appoint a new executive to take decisions to put money into people s pockets. but the dup are continuing to deny and disrespect the outcome of the may election. next to speak was the dup s paul givan. what the secretary of state needs to do is get what the secretary of state needs to do is get on with hisjob, so we can do is get on with hisjob, so we can do
he wasn t aelected by the publi, he was appointed. tonally, it was about facing up to the difficulties. being the right man for the job and today he met with his cabinet just about an hour ago. that s been a newly appointed cabinet as of last night. he s been trying to demonstrate with his appointments the fact he s going to back up calls for unity. he s with the right wing of the party, left wing of the party. there s been some controversy after she was sacked last week by the former prime minister for security breach. some suggesting perhaps that was the result of a back room deal. his team assures us that isn t the case. today the most daunting tasks that the new prime minister will face is prime minister s questions which will take place in about an hour and a half. even the most seasoned of leaders of this country say that