Brexit crisis pushes N Ireland to brink of new election

By JILL LAWLESS and DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The Northern Ireland Assembly has failed to elect a speaker, setting the stage for an unwanted early election. The development on Thursday comes amid an impasse over border controls required following Britain’s exit from the European Union. Disagreements over implementation of the Brexit deal have prevented the formation of a functioning government in Belfast since the last election in May. The U.K. government had said it would call new elections for the assembly on Friday if a power-sharing government were not in place by midnight. Naming an assembly speaker is a necessary first step toward restoring power sharing between parties that favor closer ties with the rest of the United Kingdom and those that back closer ties with Ireland.