The Speaker of the Northern Assembly, John Alderdice, has announced his intention to retire at the end of this month.

The Democratic Unionist Party today confirmed it had pulled its ministers out of the Northern Ireland power-sharing Executive.

Northern Ireland’s power-sharing Executive today headed towards collapse as the Rev Ian Paisley’s two Democratic Unionist ministers resigned.

The suspension of Northern Ireland’s devolved political institutions may be the “least worst option” to deal with the current crisis in the peace process, it was claimed today.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has said his three ministers in the Northern Assembly will resign their positions as of midnight tonight following the failure of a motion last week to expel Sinn Fein from government.