Northern Ireland's power-sharing government is on the verge of collapse - after the two nationalist parties said they would not support a plan to adjourn the Stormont Assembly.
The decision means the DUP is now set to walk out of government and collapse the executive, after yesterday saying it would not allow business to continue as usual.
The atmosphere in Belfast has taken on a tone of crisis since yesterday's news that Sinn Féin's northern chairman Bobby Storey had been arrested in connection with the murder of Kevin McGuigan.
The PSNI had earlier claimed that Mr McGuigan may have been murdered by members of the IRA, which it believes is still in existence.
Today's refusal by the other parties to approve the DUP's suspension will mean the collapse of the executive, and new elections being held, unless David Cameron steps in to suspend the Assembly himself.
Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly reports.
