Sinn Féin calls on No 10 to introduce Irish-language legislation

Stormont executive expected to collapse unless Westminster follows demand to intervene

Sinn Fein has appealed to the British government to bypass the Northern Ireland assembly and to introduce Irish-language legislation via Westminster to defuse a political crisis that threatens to collapse Northern Ireland's power-sharing government.

Conor Murphy, the Sinn Fein finance minister, said on Tuesday that the party would end a standoff over rebooting the stalled Stormont executive if London delivered the legislation.