In the last post, we carried the thoughts of former DUP MP and special adviser Emma-Little Pengelly - she's since been on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback and her comments are damning of new leader Edwin Poots.

“Edwin made it clear this would be a leadership that listened to people… this morning it seems he’s failed at the first test."

Image source, Pacemaker

Former DUP MP Emma Little-Pengelly, who was until recently a special adviser for Arlene Foster, has taken to Twitter to express her thoughts on reports of DUP division.

NI Secretary Brandon Lewis says "it's important we have a stable executive" amid reports of DUP division over nominating a first minister.

Mr Lewis says the government will "support Northern Ireland as part of the UK, we want the people of Northern Ireland to have the ability to move forward in a positive way, creating jobs and opportunity".

Image source, Pacemaker

"We are co-guarantors of New Decade, New Approach, it is an agreement we signed up to, we're committed to and we will do everything we can to support the delivery of it which is what all the parties agreed.

"If the executive hasn't brought that legislation forward, we will bring forward legislation later this year, in October this year, we will introduce that and will deliver on exactly the New Decade, New Approach package, nothing more, nothing less than that."

He says it was important for people in Northern Ireland to have an executive that can continue to move forward and that people would be “overarchingly positive” about an executive that could focus on issues such the pandemic and education.

“It’s important we don’t go back into a situation we saw a few years ago where we had three years of no executive function, of complete political impasse,” he says.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme, East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson says the feeling of the party was "very, very clear" - and, significantly, does not back his leader.

"What has been done today... shouldn't have been done and the vast majority of people believe that is the case," Mr Wilson told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme.

Asked if he had confidence in Mr Poots, Mr Wilson said any leader "should bring people along with them".

“If Edwin cannot convince people what he’s done is right then it’s not me or anybody else that’s going to put his position in jeopardy- he does that himself.”

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political reporter

Just when you think it couldn't get any more bizarre...

Earlier this morning, reports started coming in that a number of senior DUP figures had emailed Edwin Poots to say they wanted him to hold off on nominating for the position of first minister.

A meeting of DUP representatives then took place at Stormont and, from what we understand, that meeting descended into chaos.

There were some really robust exchanges and by the end, both Edwin Poots and Paul Givan left the meeting early before a vote took place.

The outcome of that vote was that the majority of DUP representatives voted against the party nominating for the position of first minister today.

Edwin Poots is only six weeks into his leadership, he has had struggles before, but we have never seen anything like this.

What we do know is that it will be very interesting to see how this plays out internally in the party over the days and weeks ahead.

A vote of no confidence in the leadership of Edwin Poots "could be raised" at a DUP party officers' meeting this afternoon, a senior DUP source has said.

"The party is uniting for the first time in a long time,against Edwin," the source told Stephen Nolan.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson said he would not "pre-empt" what would be discussed at a meeting of party officers.

He adds that what happened - the nomination of a first minister - shouldn't have been done "for very good political reasons and indeed for very good strategic reasons".

TUV leader Jim Allister has been speaking in the Great Hall at Stormont and says today is a “day of shame for unionists”.

“The DUP leader who proclaims himself as the leader of unionism paid the ransom of Sinn Féin – paid it would appear in defiance of his own party," he says.

“Such is the lust for power, any power from that quarter.

“It is quite clear we are now in the unsustainable position where whatever Sinn Féin wants – if they don’t get it directly from a hopelessly spineless Edwin Poots then they will get it indirectly by repeating the threat that they used over recent days to bring the place down if they didn’t get their way.

"Ransom politics wins again."

He adds: "Now we have the combination of the poodle brothers, Edwin and Paul, who will be led wherever Sinn Féin leads them."

We have more details now on what is increasingly sounding like an extraordinary meeting between DUP representatives earlier - BBC News NI has been told that three DUP MPs turned up at the meeting "demanding to be let in".

The meeting was originally to be between DUP MLAs, however DUP Westminster representatives emailed their party leader Edwin Poots earlier, demanding to meet with him before the nomination for first minister was confirmed.

Sammy Wilson, Gavin Robinson and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson - who lost the recent DUP leadership contest to Mr Poots - were the three MPs who attended the meeting.

Image source, Pacemaker

Mr Wilson was initially denied permission to speak.

Edwin Poots and Paul Givan then left the meeting as Mr Wilson was speaking to go to the assembly chamber where Mr Poots confirmed the nomination.

The pair are believed to have left before DUP representatives voted on whether or not they felt the nomination should go ahead - they ended up voting against by 24-4.

Speaking to BBC Political Correspondent Gareth Gordon, one attendee said the meeting "was in total disarray".

"This is just quite remarkable," political commentator Patricia McBride tells Talkback.

"It seems that our fear a few weeks ago when Edwin Poots challenged Arlene Foster that this was a power grab without a plan has actually come to be correct," she continues.

"It's quite something to try and push forward with nominating a first minister when you don't have your party behind you."

Ms McBride says Mr Poots "will go down in history one way or the other".

She says he could become the "shortest-serving DUP leader" or "the person who actually realised what needed to be done in order to make the institutions work".

DUP leader Edwin Poots and Paul Givan "walked past" East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson while he was speaking during the DUP's meeting before the assembly sitting, BBC political correspondent Gareth Gordon reports.

The pair were making their way to the assembly chamber, where Mr Poots then confirmed the nomination of Paul Givan as first minister.

It is understood that DUP representatives voted against Mr Poots nominating a first minister by 24-4.

Former DUP special adviser Timothy Cairns says Edwin Poots' leadership has been "an absolute disaster".

"He's completely and utterly lost the party, but he's made a gamble," Mr Cairns tells Talkback.

He says he believes Mr Poots hopes that events will "ride itself internally".

Mr Cairns says it is likely those who voted for nominating a first minister will be those who would hold positions in the new executive.

"If you've lost all the rest of your rank and file, that's remarkable," he adds.

Mr Cairns says "potentially" a vote of no confidence could be held on Mr Poots to challenge his leadership in the coming weeks.

Gareth Gordon
BBC News NI Political Correspondent

Never mind the relations with Sinn Féin, it is the relations within Edwin Poots' own party that are now hanging by a thread.

After a 24-4 vote against nominating a first minister, I don't know what will happen next - can Mr Poots carry on like this? There must be big, big doubt about that.

It is an amazing situation that Edwin Poots has gone against the overwhelming number of representatives and taken the step of nominating Paul Givan as first minister, knowing time is running out.

He has taken a calculated risk.

If Edwin Poots was a Premier League manager he would probably already have had the dreaded vote of confidence from the chairman.

Michelle O'Neill, who has now returned to her previous role as deputy first minister, says the first priority of the executive "is our response to Covid-19".

She says the five executive parties demonstrated that "when there is unity of purpose we can tackle the biggest of challenges".

Image source, NI Assembly

"People want mature political leaders who will get things done," Ms O'Neill says.

"On the issue of rights, we have seen the DUP resist these. I don't expect to see any change. I will work with the other parties in this assembly and the executive towards achieving a progressive social reform agenda," she adds.

"Language is fundamental to nationality," the deputy first minister says.

She adds that the DUP's recent objection to providing an interpretation service for the assembly "represented bad faith".

Image source, NI Assembly

Conor Murphy Sinn Féin nominates Michelle O'Neill for the post of deputy first minister

He says Ms O'Neill has led the institutions "through the most difficult times".

Mr Murphy says she has led at all times "with good grace" and determination to do the right thing for all our people.

"Michelle O'Neill has shown herself time and time again to be a strong and undaunted and dedicated leader," he says.

Ms O'Neill accepts the nomination for the post of deputy first minister.

First Minister Paul Givan decribes Northern Ireland as "a special place" as he continues his first remarks in his new post.

"There is much good will from the public for this place to work and for our politics to work for everybody," said Mr Givan.

"We must all recognise that there is much more that we have in common than separates us.

"[Northern Ireland] is special because of it's people.

"We have different identities, we need to respect those identities."

First Minister Paul Givan tells the assembly he has "never shied away from taking on responsibility when asked to do so".

"There is much work to do as we emerge from Covid-19," said Mr Givan.

"I know the challenge is great, the responsibility will be heavy."

"Let's get to work," says Mr Givan as he takes his seat again.

As you've just heard, DUP leader Edwin Poots nominated Paul Givan as first minister - but this tweet from BBC News NI political correspondent Gareth Gordon is a bit of a jaw-dropper.

He says party representatives overwhelmingly voted against the move...

First Minister Paul Givan pays tribute to previous DUP first ministers as he makes his first remarks as first minister.

Dr Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster, have all previously held the position.

"They all had their own way of leading, and I'm sure I'll have mine," said Mr Givan.

"Mistakes I'm sure I will make, I'm not infallible, but I share the same drive and determination to serve the people of Northern Ireland."

Also paying tribute to his party leader Mr Givan said: "Edwin is not just a colleague, Edwin is a close, personal friend of mine."

Sinn Féin's Conor Muphy puts forward Michelle O'Neill as deputy first minister.

Speaker Alex Maskey asks Mrs O'Neill if she accepts and she says she does.

DUP leader Edwin Poots puts forward Lagan Valley MLA Paul Givan as first minister, paying tribute to his friend in the process.

"We need more people like him to win for unionism," says Mr Poots.

Speaker Alex Maskey asks Mr Givan if he accepts and he says he does.