The Northern Ireland Executive has formally been shorn of governing powers after DUP First Minister Paul Givan quit the administration.
Mr Givan’s resignation, which came into effect at midnight, automatically removed Sinn Fein deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill from her position.
Other Stormont ministers can remain in post but the Executive can no longer meet and is unable to take significant policy decisions.
The move by the Lagan Valley MLA Mr Givan is part of the DUP’s escalating protest strategy against Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol.
Justifying his departure, Mr Givan said the protocol, which has created trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, had undermined a cornerstone of powersharing in the region – governance with the consent of both nationalists and unionists.
His announcement on Thursday came 24 hours after DUP Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots acted unilaterally to order a halt to agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports required under the post-Brexit trading arrangements.
Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.
Mr Givan’s resignation removed Ms O’Neill from her job because, under Stormont’s powersharing rules, one cannot hold office without the other.
There was a flurry of activity within Mr Givan and Ms O’Neill’s joint office on Thursday night as the ministers pushed through some outstanding decisions before leaving office.
They confirmed the appointment of a new victims’ commissioner. Ian Jeffers, who has extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector, will take up the post for a four-year term.
The ministers also reappointed Attorney General Brenda King for a further three-year term.
Sinn Fein has denounced Mr Givan’s move as an electoral stunt designed to consolidate DUP support in the face of recent poor opinion poll performances.
Party president Mary Lou McDonald branded the DUP tactics a “disgrace” and called for May’s already scheduled Assembly election to be brought forward.
Ms O’Neill has invited the leaders of the other main Stormont parties, with the exception of the DUP, to a virtual meeting on Friday morning to discuss ways to potentially expedite outstanding legislation through the Assembly before the looming election.
Thursday’s events in Northern Ireland unfolded as UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic met to take stock of negotiations aimed at reducing the red tape associated with the protocol. The pair will meet again in London next week to continue discussions.
