Assembly to be recalled in last-gasp bid to avoid Stormont election

A six-month legislative time frame to form an administration expires just after midnight early on Friday.

MLAs will return to Stormont on Thursday for a recalled sitting of the Assembly (Liam McBurney/PA)

MLAs will return to Stormont in a last-gasp bid to restore the Northern Ireland executive before fresh Assembly elections are called.

The sitting will see an attempt to elect a new speaker – a prerequisite before an executive can be appointed – but that bid is set to fail as the DUP will use its veto to block it.