DUP: NI First Minister Paul Givan 'intends to resign'

Northern Ireland's First Minister Paul Givan intends to announce his resignation later on Thursday, BBC News NI understands.

The move is part of the Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The protocol is the part of the Brexit deal that applies to Northern Ireland.

The move would mean Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill, of Sinn Féin, also loses her position.

Due to Northern Ireland's power-sharing arrangements, the roles of first and deputy first ministers are a joint office shared between the two biggest parties at Stormont.

Neither leader can stay in power if the other person resigns.

However, it is understood other ministers will remain in place to run their respective departments.

The move though will prevent the Northern Ireland Executive from functioning properly.

Legislation which is due to be completed at Westminster next week will allow the Northern Ireland Assembly to continue without the need for an election.

The provisions would allow for Assembly to run for between six and nine months.

The party's current leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been threatening to withdrawn DUP ministers from Stormont for months over its opposition to the protocol.

It is not clear whether Mr Givan will stand down immediately or announce his resignation for a future date.

Speaking to the Nolan Show, the DUP Minister Edwin Poots refused to confirm that the resignation would be made public on Thursday, simply saying that people would "just have to wait".

If the move happens it comes just hours after Mr Poots announced that he was stopping Irish Sea border checks as part of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The DUP are the biggest party in Stormont and so they are entitled to hold the first minister's post.

Mr Givan was appointed first minister just over eight months ago in June 2021, during a turbulent period for the DUP, in which the party had three different leaders with in a matter of weeks.

The Northern Ireland Executive will be paralysed in terms of making any new decisions on policy directions.

That will come to an end when the first minister steps down, which triggers the resignation of the deputy minister.

We know that there is a three-year budget out for consolation at the moment waiting to be approved by Stormont.

This will likely be the first casualty If this move goes ahead as expected later on Thursday.

There is a grant scheme for energy costs for households proposing £200 to 280,000 people which could now be in jeopardy.

There is also an apology coming for victims of historical abuse, and the appointment of a victims' commissioner could now also be in doubt.