SINN Féin could respond to the DUP’s antics by forcing an early election. Whether it should is an intriguing question, for nationalists and unionists, but the possibility alone is worth noting.

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart, the TUV and others have claimed it would be more or less business as usual at Stormont if First Minister Michelle O’Neill was removed from office by the resignation of the Deputy First Minister.

The Executive would continue in a caretaker capacity for up to 24 weeks, requiring no change in the date of next May’s election, and potentially for another 24 weeks afterwards.

If the remainder of Sinn Féin’s ministerial team resigned, their three departments would be reallocated to other parties under the d’Hondt process.

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The Assembly would continue, as it can only dissolve itself by a two-thirds vote, which would require the support of every non-unionist party plus the UUP.

These are the default legal outcomes when a first or deputy first ministers resigns.

However, there is a caveat. After six weeks, the Secretary of State can call an election if he considers the Executive lacks “sufficient representation to command cross-community confidence in the Assembly”.

This was added to the law via the 2020 New........

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