Northern Ireland power sharing slips to 2023 as few relish a winter election

New Stormont elections are meant to be called soon - but they wouldn't resolve the protocol standoff

The UK has given a six-month deadline for resolution of talks over the Northern Ireland protocol row, indicating Liz Truss is far more relaxed about the absence of a devolved government in Stormont than previously indicated.

An April date for resolution of the Brexit row emerged after a meeting between the US president Joe Biden and the prime minister Liz Truss and coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday agreement.