The deadline for holding an election in Northern Ireland will be pushed back by at least six weeks despite months of political paralysis.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris told MPs that he was setting a new December 8 deadline to hold a poll to resolve the region's power sharing crisis, with an option to extend by a further six weeks if necessary.
The original October 28 deadline for restoring power-sharing was missed, meaning Westminster has a legal responsibility to call an election following the stalemate over the establishment of an executive at Stormont.
