Parties in the North to nominate first minister and deputy

The British government wants the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin to indicate next week who will be their choice for first and deputy first ministers at Stormont if efforts to revive power sharing are to remain on course.

Following the publication of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Bill, it became clear DUP leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness will not be appointed first and deputy first ministers or have to take a pledge of office.