Britain will extend a deadline for elections in Northern Ireland, the government said Thursday, as an impasse over Brexit trade in the UK-run province shows little sign of swift resolution.

In a statement the UK said it would push back the deadline for Northern Ireland's parties to form a government for a year to 18 January 2024 but reserved the right to call an election at any time in the intervening period.

The government's previous cut-off point for parties to form a power-sharing executive at Northern Ireland's devolved assembly expired on 19 January 2023.

Northern Ireland has been without a devolved government since February last year because of a walk-out by the pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

It had been due to share power with pro-Ireland Sinn Fein, which became the biggest party in the assembly after the elections last May.

"Twelve months and one assembly election later, it is disappointing that people in Northern Ireland still do not have the strong devolved government that they deserve," Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said.

The DUP collapsed the power-sharing executive in February 2022 because of its opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The protocol, signed between London and Brussels as part of the UK's Brexit divorce from the European Union, governs trade in the British province, and keeps Northern Ireland in the European single market.

The DUP wants the deal overhauled or scrapped entirely, arguing it casts Northern Ireland adrift from the rest of the UK and makes a united Ireland more likely.

Heaton-Harris said that following discussions he had concluded "an election in the coming weeks will not be helpful or welcome".

He added the extension was designed to give Northern Ireland's parties "more time... to work together and return to government as protocol discussions continue between the UK and EU".

Heaton-Harris met the Vice-President of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovic, in Brussels on Wednesday.

The British government said it is "working hard to resolve the problems caused by the protocol, and the desire to see an agreed solution with the EU".

It added the extension to the Northern Ireland deadline "does not influence protocol discussions and that the UK Government wants to see a deal between the UK and EU as soon as possible".

Following disagreement between London, Brussels and Dublin over the protocol in the aftermath of Britain's departure from the EU, relations have improved in recent months.

A breakthrough could see parties return to the Stormont assembly in Belfast but is not guaranteed, leaving Northern Ireland without a government on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.