Mr. Trimble's resignation set up a timetable of options that Britain and Ireland have to exercise by Aug. 12: to obtain disarmament, suspend the assembly and return Northern Ireland to direct rule from London, or to hold elections, which, it is widely feared, would put into office rejectionist Protestants who have no interest in sharing power with Catholics.
That resignation set in place a timetable that expires at midnight Saturday.
In 2006, Tony Blair used Quintin Kynaston as the venue from which to announce the timetable for his resignation.
A timetable [to announce Quick's resignation this morning] was agreed last night, but Boris was not involved in that".
With deadly clashes continuing between Israelis and Palestinians, there is merit in accelerating Israel's election timetable, as Mr. Barak's resignation will do.
And no progress on decommissioning IRA weapons meant that this weekend, John Reid, the Northern Ireland secretary, was due to suspend the devolved Assembly.The timetable goes back to the resignation in July of David Trimble, leader of the Ulster Unionists, as First Minister of the Assembly.
That would echo the so-called "curry house plot" by Brownites two years ago, when resignations forced Tony Blair to reveal his departure timetable.
The demand for a "timetable" for his departure - code for his resignation, on a plate, and soon - had become the focus for general unhappiness among Labour MPs.
Following the Labour victory in the May 2005 general election, Michael Howard announced his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party and set a lengthy timetable for the leadership election.
Those who forced Mr Nasheed's resignation have honoured the constitution and announced they are sticking to the timetable for presidential polls on September 7th, when voters will get a second chance.
