Consensus the key: Hain

The Northern Secretary Peter Hain has not ruled out extending the devolution deadline but says the parties must themselves reach a consensus on it.

Mr Hain was speaking after the DUP passed a resolution calling for a six-week extension of the deadline before sharing power with Sinn Féin. Tomorrow is the deadline set by the Irish and British governments.

Mr Hain has signed the restoration order for devolution at Hillsborough Castle, requiring the 108 Assembly members to gather at Stormont tomorrow to nominate a new locally elected government.

"There's devolution tomorrow or dissolution follows after midnight. That is where we're going as of now," he told the BBC.

The DUP resolution said it was anxious to make progress and it would participate fully in power-sharing but only on an agreed date in May, calling the British and Irish governments' timetable "arbitrary".