Doug Beattie said it would be 'disgraceful' to spend millions on another poll 'while our people are going cold and hungry'
A snap Stormont Assembly election in December would be "diabolical" during the cost-of-living crisis, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party has said.
Chief electoral officer Virginia McVea said the correspondence is part of their "contingency planning" and no guidance has been received from the Northern Ireland Office on any announcement. He told the BBC's Nolan Show: "I think if we have no Executive by October 28 I think there's a good chance that a snap election will be called on October 28 and we'll be going to the polls on December 8.
Mr Beattie there is a need to "fix" the protocol and proposed Westminster legislation to override the Irish Sea trade deal "needs to come in quickly". "I think there will be a hardening of positions for many political parties. I think as soon as an election is called, people will retreat back into their trenches as we have seen previously and I don't think the outcome is going to be any different. There will be a lightning rod which will go one way or the other."
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