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| RHI: NI First Minister Arlene Foster 'resists quest to build political gallows' | RHI: NI First Minister Arlene Foster 'resists quest to build political gallows' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A vote of no confidence in Northern Ireland's First Minister, Arlene Foster, has been defeated in the assembly. | A vote of no confidence in Northern Ireland's First Minister, Arlene Foster, has been defeated in the assembly. |
| Stormont's political institutions are under threat of a meltdown in a row over a botched heating scheme. | Stormont's political institutions are under threat of a meltdown in a row over a botched heating scheme. |
| Members of the assembly walked out of the chamber twice on Monday morning. | Members of the assembly walked out of the chamber twice on Monday morning. |
| However, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said Sinn Féin - partners in government with the DUP - would not be pulling the plug on Stormont. | However, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said Sinn Féin - partners in government with the DUP - would not be pulling the plug on Stormont. |
| In an interview with the BBC, he said: "We are dealing with a shambles and there is an urgent need to restore credibility in the institutions. | |
| "It's very, very important that the executive office finds a way forward through the quite clear difficulties," he said. | |
| He said his party will put forward a motion in the assembly calling for an investigation into the "debacle" and urge the first minister to step aside during an investigation into the scheme. | |
| Earlier, Mrs Foster said she would resist her opponents' "fevered quest" to build her "political gallows". | |
| She exclaimed "trial by television" as she faced a no-confidence vote over the botched Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (RHI) that could cost taxpayers £400m. | She exclaimed "trial by television" as she faced a no-confidence vote over the botched Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (RHI) that could cost taxpayers £400m. |
| In an interview with the BBC's Stephen Nolan on Thursday, Jonathan Bell, a former enterprise minister, broke ranks with his DUP colleagues and made a number of sensational claims about how the controversial scheme was handled. | In an interview with the BBC's Stephen Nolan on Thursday, Jonathan Bell, a former enterprise minister, broke ranks with his DUP colleagues and made a number of sensational claims about how the controversial scheme was handled. |
| The RHI was set up by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Deti) under the stewardship of Mrs Foster in 2012 to encourage businesses and other non-domestic users to move from using fossil fuels to renewable heating systems. | The RHI was set up by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Deti) under the stewardship of Mrs Foster in 2012 to encourage businesses and other non-domestic users to move from using fossil fuels to renewable heating systems. |
| But flaws in setting the scheme's subsidy rate left it open to abuse as claimants could earn more cash the more fuel they burned. | But flaws in setting the scheme's subsidy rate left it open to abuse as claimants could earn more cash the more fuel they burned. |
| The scheme was finally halted early this year, by which time its overall cost had reached £1.18bn. | The scheme was finally halted early this year, by which time its overall cost had reached £1.18bn. |
| About £20m a year for the next two decades could be taken from the Northern Ireland budget to cover the overspend. | About £20m a year for the next two decades could be taken from the Northern Ireland budget to cover the overspend. |
| "They can't gang up and kick out the elected leader of unionism," Mrs Foster told the Northern Ireland Assembly. | "They can't gang up and kick out the elected leader of unionism," Mrs Foster told the Northern Ireland Assembly. |
| "I am here and I will be staying here," she said. "I have acted with the highest level of integrity." | "I am here and I will be staying here," she said. "I have acted with the highest level of integrity." |
| She also treated her political opponents in the SDLP, Ulster Unionists, Alliance and TUV, to a razor-sharp tongue lashing. The gloves were off. | She also treated her political opponents in the SDLP, Ulster Unionists, Alliance and TUV, to a razor-sharp tongue lashing. The gloves were off. |
| She said she was "glad" that Colum Eastwood, SDLP, and Mike Nesbitt, UUP, "aren't very good" at opposition. | She said she was "glad" that Colum Eastwood, SDLP, and Mike Nesbitt, UUP, "aren't very good" at opposition. |
| The Alliance Party had, in the past, acted in a more "considered and responsible way", she said, "but that was under a different leader". | The Alliance Party had, in the past, acted in a more "considered and responsible way", she said, "but that was under a different leader". |
| "No doubt, at some point, we will hear today this decision is related to the flags protest," she said. | "No doubt, at some point, we will hear today this decision is related to the flags protest," she said. |
| Mrs Foster said the motion to bring her down was "doomed" and that this was a "coup d'état more worthy of a Carry On Film". | Mrs Foster said the motion to bring her down was "doomed" and that this was a "coup d'état more worthy of a Carry On Film". |
| Earlier, a series of stormy arguments and walk-outs threatened to lurch Northern Ireland into a fresh constitutional crisis. | Earlier, a series of stormy arguments and walk-outs threatened to lurch Northern Ireland into a fresh constitutional crisis. |
| The row that erupted in the assembly on Monday was over Mrs Foster's decision to "fly solo" . | The row that erupted in the assembly on Monday was over Mrs Foster's decision to "fly solo" . |
| She prepared to make a ministerial statement without the support of the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin, with whom she shares the joint office. | She prepared to make a ministerial statement without the support of the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin, with whom she shares the joint office. |
| Analysis - BBC News NI political correspondent Enda McClafferty | Analysis - BBC News NI political correspondent Enda McClafferty |
| When it works, it shows politics in Northern Ireland is moving in the right direction but when it goes wrong it reopens old wounds and leaves the institutions hanging by a thread. | When it works, it shows politics in Northern Ireland is moving in the right direction but when it goes wrong it reopens old wounds and leaves the institutions hanging by a thread. |
| Joint ministerial authority means Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness have equal power and cannot work in isolation. They have no choice. | Joint ministerial authority means Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness have equal power and cannot work in isolation. They have no choice. |
| That's why Arlene Foster's decision to make a statement without the support of her partner in office today has plunged Stormont into a fresh crisis. | That's why Arlene Foster's decision to make a statement without the support of her partner in office today has plunged Stormont into a fresh crisis. |
| Joint office is the bond which holds Stormont together, it now appears to be melting fast in this heating scandal. | Joint office is the bond which holds Stormont together, it now appears to be melting fast in this heating scandal. |
| The other parties walked out of the chamber and stormed to the press microphones to voice their anger. | The other parties walked out of the chamber and stormed to the press microphones to voice their anger. |
| Mr McGuinness made it clear that Mrs Foster did not speak for him or with him. He said she would be acting without his approval or authority. | Mr McGuinness made it clear that Mrs Foster did not speak for him or with him. He said she would be acting without his approval or authority. |
| Earlier, he had warned that a DUP-established inquiry into the so-called "cash for ash" affair would have no credibility. | Earlier, he had warned that a DUP-established inquiry into the so-called "cash for ash" affair would have no credibility. |
| He also said that there would be grave consequences if the DUP took a unilateral approach and Mrs Foster made a ministerial statement without his support. | He also said that there would be grave consequences if the DUP took a unilateral approach and Mrs Foster made a ministerial statement without his support. |
| Speaker Robin Newton, DUP, found himself at the eye of the storm, facing a barrage from politicians over the right of Mrs Foster to make the statement without the support of her deputy first minister. | Speaker Robin Newton, DUP, found himself at the eye of the storm, facing a barrage from politicians over the right of Mrs Foster to make the statement without the support of her deputy first minister. |
| But he went ahead and called on Mrs Foster to speak. | But he went ahead and called on Mrs Foster to speak. |
| She ended up preaching to the converted as nearly all of the MLAs from the other parties left the chamber again. | She ended up preaching to the converted as nearly all of the MLAs from the other parties left the chamber again. |
| Her DUP colleagues heard her say that not introducing cost-control measures in a botched heating scheme was the "greatest political regret of my life". | Her DUP colleagues heard her say that not introducing cost-control measures in a botched heating scheme was the "greatest political regret of my life". |
| It was not clear whether she was speaking in her capacity as first minister or whether it was personal. | It was not clear whether she was speaking in her capacity as first minister or whether it was personal. |
| The DUP accused the other parties of "running away" when they left the chamber and Mrs Foster asked: "Where are they? The people of Northern Ireland deserve better than this." | The DUP accused the other parties of "running away" when they left the chamber and Mrs Foster asked: "Where are they? The people of Northern Ireland deserve better than this." |
| The other parties rolled their eyes. | The other parties rolled their eyes. |
| Eamonn McCann, People Before Profit, said there was "no shortage of clowns but no ring master" at Stormont. | Eamonn McCann, People Before Profit, said there was "no shortage of clowns but no ring master" at Stormont. |
| "We are now in La La land and limbo land," he said. | "We are now in La La land and limbo land," he said. |
| TUV leader Jim Allister said: "I know it's pantomime season but what has happened today is beyond farce." | TUV leader Jim Allister said: "I know it's pantomime season but what has happened today is beyond farce." |