Northern Ireland elections won't be held early - minister

Britain's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis walks outside Downing Street in London, Britain November 30, 2021. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson/Files

BELFAST (Reuters) - Northern Ireland will hold elections to its devolved assembly on schedule on May 5 and the resignation last week of First Minister Paul Givan does not change that, the British minister for the region said on Tuesday.

Givan's resignation, in protest at post-Brexit trade rules, had sparked calls by the region's two largest political parties for an earlier vote.