08/11/2001
DUP gets go ahead to challenge Reid
A High Court judge has ruled that the Democratic Unionist Party can press ahead with a legal challenge to a decision not to call assembly elections in Northern Ireland until 2003.
Making his decision on Thursday November 8, Mr Justice Brian Kerr said although he was granting a review he had considerable misgivings about the viability of the case but that the DUP should be given an opportunity to argue their case in court.
David Trimble and Mark Durkan were elected as first and deputy first minister at a special meeting of the Stormont Assembly on Tuesday, four days after being defeated in a vote taken on Friday November 2.
The DUP’s case lies with the Secretary’ of State’s decision to allow Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan’s election to proceed after the assembly failed to elect a first and Deputy First Minister by the deadline on midnight on Saturday November 3.
Mr Justice Kerr originally threw out an initial application from the DUP for a judicial review on Monday. But the party returned to the High Court on Wednesday seeking the review which is aimed at forcing Dr Reid to call an election straight away, following a delay in the re-election of a first and deputy first minister on Friday.
DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson said Dr Reid had a legal obligation to call an election “within a reasonable time”, which he had not performed.
Speaking during question time in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon the Northern Ireland Secretary, John Reid, announced he was beginning a review of some of the assembly's voting procedures on November 19. (AMcE)
Making his decision on Thursday November 8, Mr Justice Brian Kerr said although he was granting a review he had considerable misgivings about the viability of the case but that the DUP should be given an opportunity to argue their case in court.
David Trimble and Mark Durkan were elected as first and deputy first minister at a special meeting of the Stormont Assembly on Tuesday, four days after being defeated in a vote taken on Friday November 2.
The DUP’s case lies with the Secretary’ of State’s decision to allow Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan’s election to proceed after the assembly failed to elect a first and Deputy First Minister by the deadline on midnight on Saturday November 3.
Mr Justice Kerr originally threw out an initial application from the DUP for a judicial review on Monday. But the party returned to the High Court on Wednesday seeking the review which is aimed at forcing Dr Reid to call an election straight away, following a delay in the re-election of a first and deputy first minister on Friday.
DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson said Dr Reid had a legal obligation to call an election “within a reasonable time”, which he had not performed.
Speaking during question time in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon the Northern Ireland Secretary, John Reid, announced he was beginning a review of some of the assembly's voting procedures on November 19. (AMcE)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.