Recall the Assembly now and see who turns up, says Campbell

He was speaking after the deadline for the formation of a power-sharing Executive was pushed back again until the end of August. This step was taken, Northern Ireland Office minister John Penrose said, to give the political parties a chance to agree a restoration of the power-sharing Assembly and Executive.

“It simply adds another five months of breathing space, opportunity and potential, during which, if we work hard and if all sides are willing, we might be able reinstate the different sides in Stormont and get the Assembly back up and running,” said Mr. Penrose.

Mr. Campbell said Stormont should be recalled now.

“The recall may well be short-lived,” said Mr. Campbell, “One significant advantage is that reconvening the Assembly would prove, beyond any doubt, who are the willing and who are the unwilling”.