Brexit crisis pushes N Ireland to brink of new election

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Northern Ireland politicians are making a last-ditch attempt to break a political impasse triggered by Brexit that has stopped the formation of a functioning government in Belfast. Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly are meeting on Thursday to try to elect a speaker. That’s the first step toward restoring a power-sharing government that has been on ice since May. The main British unionist party says it will veto the move as part of its protest over post-Brexit customs checks. If no executive is in place by early Friday, the British government says it will call a new election, which could break the political deadlock but would definitely bring more uncertainty.