A row erupted between the British government and hardline unionists tonight over claims that an Assembly election will not be called if legal action over the election of Northern Ireland's First and Deputy First Ministers succeeds.
Democratic Unionist deputy leader Mr Peter Robinson denounced as "staggering" claims that the British government would ignore calls for an autumn poll if the House of Lords overruled the election of Ulster Unionist Mr David Trimble and SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan last November to the two top posts in the Northern Executive.
The anti-Belfast Agreement unionists today served papers on Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan and Northern Secretary Dr John Reid for an appeal to the House of Lords.
The party is arguing that Dr Reid acted unlawfully by refusing to call an Assembly election when Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan failed in their first bid to be First and Deputy First Ministers.
Dr Reid allowed the Assembly to reconvene for another vote which Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan won following the cross community Alliance Party's decision to redesignate three of its Assembly members as unionists.
Mr Robinson was confident today papers lodged with the House of Lords later this week would result in an Assembly election being forced this autumn rather than next May.
But Stormont sources have disputed this claim, insisting the Northern Ireland Office would be able to avoid an election even if they lost the House of Lords appeal.
PA