▁called ▁by ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁Mc Gu in ness ▁said ▁that ▁F oster ▁had ▁a ▁" clear ▁conflict ▁of ▁interest " ▁and ▁it ▁" was ▁the ▁right ▁time ▁to ▁call ▁a ▁halt ▁to ▁the ▁D UP ' s ▁ar rog ance ". ▁He ▁further ▁accused ▁the ▁D UP ▁of ▁ref using ▁to ▁accept ▁dem ands ▁" for ▁robust ▁action ▁and ▁responsibility ". ▁ ▁As ▁S inn ▁F é in ▁did ▁not ▁nomin ate ▁a ▁replacement ▁for ▁Mc Gu in ness , ▁James ▁Bro kens hire ▁automatically ▁assumed ▁control ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁in ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁Bro kens hire ▁was ▁obliged ▁to ▁call ▁an ▁election ▁within ▁a ▁" reason able ▁time ▁period ", ▁which ▁he ▁announced ▁for ▁ 2 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁Per ▁the ▁Storm ont ▁House ▁Ag re ement , ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Assembly ▁election ▁elected ▁only ▁ 9 0 ▁ML As . ▁ ▁Under ▁power ▁sharing ▁rules ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁F oster ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁continue ▁in ▁her ▁role ▁as ▁First ▁Minister ▁while ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁vac ancy ▁for ▁the ▁deput y ▁First ▁Minister . ▁This ▁meant ▁that ▁F oster ▁lost ▁her ▁role ▁when ▁Mc Gu in ness ' ▁res ignation ▁came ▁into ▁effect . ▁The ▁Executive ▁Office ▁therefore ▁became ▁vac ant ▁on ▁ 9 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁alleg ations ▁from ▁the ▁D UP ▁that