THE secretary of state yesterday voiced hope that devolution could be restored "at the earliest opportunity" - while extending the period the Northern Ireland can be without a government.
Karen Bradley laid secondary legislation that lengthens by five months the period Stormont can lie dormant without the need for an election.
She said the decision was taken by following "extensive engagement" with the north's main parties.
Without the extension, the current legislation would have expired on Monday of next week.
“In recent discussions all five parties reaffirmed their commitment to restoring a power-sharing executive and the other political institutions set out in the Belfast Agreement," she said in a statement to MPs at Westminster.
“The people of Northern Ireland deserve strong political leadership from a locally elected, accountable devolved government and I am absolutely focused on achieving this outcome.”
During her appearance yesterday in the House of Commons, which came after Labour forced her to answer an urgent question, Mrs Bradley was warned that she risks becoming "part of the problem" around the current deadlock.
Shadow secretary of state Tony Lloyd challenged her on how she plans to bring the parties back together, given there have been calls on her to resign after comments about killings by security forces during the Troubles.
He said the secretary of state had to be a "figure of trust and authority".
"If she is not part of the solution she becomes part of the problem," the Labour MP said.
Mrs Bradley said she was disappointed by her Labour counterpart's "tone" and would continue to lay the work for elections to be held to Stormont, despite being forced into extending its suspension.
DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds said the decision to push back any election was the "right thing to do in the circumstances, regrettable though it is".
"Could I suggest to her to do something a bit more radical, to take the initiative - what about calling the assembly together? What about putting it up to the parties, who is prepared to go into the government now and who wants to sit outside?" he said.
