NI political crisis: Bill to prevent Stormont collapse set to be passed

A law that would protect the Northern Ireland Assembly from collapse is expected to be passed by MPs later.

It would remove the requirement for the Northern Ireland secretary to set a date for an election if the positions of first and deputy first minister are not filled by the end of the week.

During that time ministers would continue to run their respective departments.

A House of Lords amendment to the bill, which is expected to be approved later, allows for the legislation to be applied retrospectively, which will cover Mr Givan's resignation.

The legislation, which was agreed under the New Decade New Approach deal to restore devolution in 2020, will then be sent for royal assent.

The roles are joint and one cannot continue without the other.

Without the two top positions being filled, the executive - Northern Ireland's government - can no longer meet.

Under previous rules, the resignation of the first or deputy first minister would have set in motion a seven-day countdown to renominate the roles.

If candidates were not successfully renominated the Northern Ireland secretary would then be required to set a date for a fresh assembly election and the institutions would immediately collapse.

However, when power-sharing was restored at Stormont in January 2020, after three years of deadlock, it was agreed Westminster would change the rules to avoid this.

On Monday, the former Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said she believed the DUP's action "should send a message to the European Commission that the protocol is undermining political stability in Northern Ireland".

"This resignation should should strengthen the case for very significant changes to the protocol and ultimately replacement with alternative arrangements," she told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster.

Ms Villiers said she hoped the DUP could find a way to return to the first minister role so "the normal business of government can continue".

Meanwhile, assembly members will meet at Stormont later for the first time since Mr Givan's resignation.

With the assembly still in place, it is expected there will be discussions of how best to use the time still available before the election, which is scheduled for 5 May.

On Monday, the speaker will meet the party whips to discuss how to progress legislation already in the system.

There are 28 such bills but it will be a race to get them all finished in time.

Getting 28 bills through in just 15 scheduled sitting days is a big ask.

That is why assembly members are now braced for an extra two days a week in the chamber while late sittings will soon become the norm.

There will also be a likely time-limit on debates with parties considering reducing the number of MLAs who will take part.

But critics may argue rushing legislation without full and proper scrutiny is not a good look.

Even with a fast-tracked plan expected to be rubber stamped by the Stormont speaker on Monday, some bills will not make it over the line before the assembly winds up at the end of March.

Those are likely to be bills proposed by assembly members while proposed executive legislation slips into the priority lane.