Northern Ireland: The Alliance Party has submitted the latest bid to recall the Stormont Assembly.

Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris on Tuesday said he will call an election if the Stormont Executive is not restored by midnight on October 28.

Mr Heaton-Harris by current legislation must call a fresh election if the executive has not been reformed by October 28.

He told the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on Tuesday that he "can't see the space" for any emergency legislation to potentially avert the move.

The Alliance Party has submitted an Assembly recall petition.

Leader Naomi Long said the result of the last election in May "must be respected" and the Assembly restored on a sustainable basis.

The PA news agency understands that the Alliance petition had 17 signatures on Tuesday afternoon, and required another 13.

Mrs Long said the current saga of ransom politics had come at the worst possible time for people.

"We are in an unprecedented period of uncertainty between Parliament and the Assembly," she said.

"As things stand, next week the caretaker ministers are removed from office and departments are left without direction at a time when Westminster is in chaos.

"In that context, and considering the cost of living and cost of business crisis, it is reckless and irresponsible in the extreme to allow the institutions to drift into deeper crisis, dragging in its wake our public finances and public services.

"Engaging in ransom politics at this time is completely scandalous.

"Whilst the Assembly and Executive can't solve all of those problems, some of which are national or global, it is the difference between being able to do something as opposed to nothing to help those in need.

"Neither is this the first time that such a suspension of our institutions.

"Over the last 25 years we have been increasingly locked into a cycle of crisis and collapse.

"It is therefore clear as we rapidly approach next week's deadline, we cannot simply place a sticking plaster over the gaping wounds inflicted on our institutions and hope for the best.

"The focus on a negotiated outcome on the Protocol, which is welcome, cannot be allowed to eclipse the urgency of restoring the executive and doing so on a sustainable basis to end the cycle of dysfunction.

"Democracy has been repeatedly subverted by single parties, we must ensure when the institutions return, no-one is able to do that again.

"Ransom politics needs to end for good."

The DUP effectively caused paralysis at Stormont by withdrawing its first minister Paul Givan from the governing executive in protest at the economic border created in the Irish Sea by Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol.

The party has vetoed several attempts to resuscitate the powersharing institutions following May's election.