Chris Heaton-Harris has been reappointed as Northern Ireland secretary.
He was first appointed to the role by former British Prime Minister Liz Truss at the start of September.
His reappointment by the new PM Rishi Sunak, strengthens the likelihood of fresh elections in the north, where the DUP has refused to re-enter power sharing until the UK took legal measures on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Heaton-Harris has set a deadline of this Friday for the Northern Assembly to reconvene or he would order a new round of voting.
