Northern Ireland Secretary urges DUP to restore powersharing as election deadline looms
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The Conservative MP said politicians in Northern Ireland have choices they can make to stop an election being called.
But he reiterated that there is a legal obligation on the UK Government to call an election if the Assembly is not formed by Friday.
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Hide AdHis Conservative colleague, Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker said there will not be devolved government at Stormont until the "legitimate interest" of the Unionists to end the jurisdiction of EU law in Northern Ireland takes place.
It comes as Ireland's premier Micheal Martin called on the DUP to "honour" the mandate of the people of Northern Ireland by contributing to the restoration of the Stormont institutions.
On Saturday Mr Martin said it does not appear that devolved government at Stormont will be restored by Friday's deadline.
Mr Heaton-Harris told Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday that if six months passes without powersharing being restored after an election then another election has to be called.
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Hide Ad"It's actually a legal requirement to call it then at one minute past midnight on the 28th of October," he said.
He added: "The Democratic Unionist Party have got an opportunity to come back in and it's really important actually, I think, that they do because there's so many domestic issues in Northern Ireland that would be helped by their re-entry into the executive.
"And they've got some really talented politicians themselves who can help solve those issues out.
"So there is a choice that people can make to stop their being an election.
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Hide Ad"But it's got to be made by elected representatives in Northern Ireland going back in to that assembly.
"Without that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland would have to call an election this week."
There is less than a week to form a Stormont executive before Secretary of State will be obliged by law to call a fresh assembly election.
The DUP is refusing to nominate ministers to form a new executive until the Westminster Government takes decisive action on the Northern Ireland Protocol.