Stormont vacuum means London would have to approve new police chief – minister

Former Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Simon Byrne (Liam McBurney/PA)

Powers would have to be taken by the Westminster government to approve any new chief constable in Northern Ireland in the continued absence of an executive at Stormont, British Parliament has been told.

Northern Ireland Office minister Jonathan Caine said in the “unfortunate circumstance” the devolved institutions were still not up and running when any appointment was made, then it would fall to the UK administration to ratify the chosen candidate.