Sam McBride: Powerful metaphor as Speaker is left alone in empty and powerless chamber

Mr Newton very publicly lost the confidence of the assembly almost three years ago over a series of similarly hapless performances, most notably where he lost control of proceedings on the day that Arlene Foster attempted to respond to the growing cash for ash scandal.

Yet by a quirk of Stormont’s zombified state, Mr Newton has remained as the speaker and continues to draw his speaker’s salary.

Yesterday he was in charge for a day which would have tested even an exceptionally shrewd and respected speaker.

Nevertheless, the way in which he responded to his DUP colleagues’ attempt to use procedural trickery – which they said was entirely lawful, and endorsed by the attorney general – was excruciating to behold.

Mr Newton appeared to have a limited personal grasp of what were complex questions involving the interplay between primary legislation, case law and the assembly’s standing orders.

At one point, Mr Newton sat silently after being asked a question, apparently unaware of the answer. His main adviser in the chamber, the Assembly’s director of parliamentary services, Gareth McGrath, lent over and wrote a sentence on a page in front of him. Mr Newton only began to speak after his adviser had finished writing.

At another point, Mr McGrath lent over and pointed with his pen to what appeared to be pre-prepared answers to anticipated questions.

On another occasion there was silence – at least for 30 seconds, and perhaps for a minute (it was not recorded in Hansard) – as Mr Newton sat mute while his advisors spoke in each ear and one of them wrote something down.

On two other occasions, Mr Newton made clear that he did not understand MLAs’ questions.

Unlike Westminster, Stormont’s rules allow the Speaker to remain a party member even though he must act entirely impartially in the role. Mr Newton’s party leader, Arlene Foster, was visibly frustrated by his stance, using the word “implore” twice as she sought to convince him to change his mind, but to no avail.

It was Mrs Foster who in 2016 proposed Mr Newton for the role, saying then: “I am sure that Robin will bring great dignity and sure-footedness to the position ... he is superbly well qualified to hold the post”.

Instead, Mr Newton has now presided over two assembly sittings which have undermined public confidence in devolution itself at critical junctures.

By the time he had finished speaking, Mr Newton was the only MLA left in the chamber, the rest having walked out.

The hapless speaker alone with his advisers in an empty and powerless chamber was a powerful visual metaphor for how far the assembly has fallen, and how quickly.