A new Stormont Assembly election will not take place before Christmas, the Northern Ireland Secretary has announced

Chris Heaton-Harris said he will outline his next steps in the House of
Commons next week.
Mr Heaton-Harris is obliged to call an election within 12 weeks of 28
October when the deadline for the Northern Ireland parties to form a fresh
executive ran out.
He said he has listened to concerns about the impact and the cost of an
election at this time.
“I can now confirm that no Assembly election will take place in December,
or ahead of the festive season,” he said in a statement this morning.
“Current legislation requires me to name a date for an election to take
place within 12 weeks of 28 October and next week I will make a statement
in parliament to lay out my next steps.”
He added: “My objective, what the people of Northern Ireland deserve, is
the restoration of a strong, devolved government.
“My duty is to create the right environment for the parties in Northern
Ireland to work together to restore the devolved institutions and deliver
on crucial issues impacting Northern Ireland’s people.
“I do not take this duty lightly, nor do I overlook the very real concerns
people have around their cost of living.”