SDLP MLAs are supporting a petition to recall the Assembly.

The recall petition was brought forward to highlight striking workers at Caterpillar sites in the North.

SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole urged the DUP to at the very least support the nomination of Patsy McGlone as Speaker so emergency legislation could be introduced to tackle the cost of living crisis.

South Belfast MLA Mr O’Toole said:

“Every day that passes without an Assembly and Executive in place, the plight of struggling families across the North gets worse and worse. On a weekly and monthly basis we are seeing the price of utility bills, petrol and groceries increasing exponentially, people just can’t keep up with these spiralling costs.

“While people suffer, being forced to skip meals in cold homes, there are hundreds of millions of pounds unspent at Stormont that could be used to help. The DUP’s selfish decision to block our institutions has left us powerless to support people across the North, families who desperately need it. Politics is about improving the lives of the people you represent and the DUP has totally abandoned that principle.

“The SDLP are supporting the latest recall petition because of the impact this crisis is having, people working long hours, like staff at Caterpillar, are being hit by this emergency. We want to give the DUP the opportunity to do the right thing, to support the nomination of Patsy McGlone as Speaker and return to the Executive. At the very least they must help elect a Speaker so that we can introduce emergency legislation and unlock the £300m plus to implement an energy costs scheme and get money into people’s pockets.”