THE DUP has insisted that “not one iota has changed” over its opposition to the immediate transfer of policing and justice powers to the Northern Executive, despite British prime minister Gordon Brown’s Stormont call for a date to be set for the devolution of these powers.
While Mr Brown told MLAs in the Assembly yesterday afternoon to “set the date” for the devolution of justice powers and also urged them not to “stall or delay” political progress both Sinn Féin and the DUP continued their stand-off over whether tomorrow’s scheduled Executive will convene.
Sinn Féin appeared particularly satisfied with the general tenor and content of Mr Brown’s speech, while DUP unhappiness about his remarks about policing and justice was reflected in the failure of First Minister Peter Robinson and Minister of Finance Nigel Dodds to applaud when the prime minister finished his address.
“Not one iota has changed on our position to policing and justice. The modalities are not in place for movement on policing and justice and there isn’t political confidence for such a move now,” said a senior DUP spokesman after listening to Mr Brown’s address.
The DUP and Sinn Féin are to continue their senior level talks today to try to find some way of ensuring that the Executive can meet tomorrow.
Mr Robinson has warned of “serious consequences” if the Executive does not meet. Northern Executive ministers have not met in cabinet session since mid-June because Sinn Féin has blocked these meetings. Sinn Féin has argued that there is no point in holding an Executive until there are commitments on issues such as devolving justice and introducing an Irish language Act. These issues were guaranteed in the St Andrews Agreement, according to Sinn Féin, although the DUP says it was not party to any such aspect of the agreement.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said while the talks continued, no breakthrough was achieved. It was too soon to say whether the Executive would meet, he said after Mr Brown addressed the Assembly members. “If people abide by the St Andrews Agreement then progress is possible,” he said. “Our focus is to get an Executive meeting,” added Mr Adams. “The Executive has to meet on a comprehensive agenda which reflects the concerns of all of the parties. At the moment we don’t have that. We continue to discuss to try to get that. There is still time to get it but it’s too early to say [whether that will happen].”
Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said Mr Brown appeared to be “scolding” unionists in his address. While he supported the transfer of policing powers, he did not think the time was right for such a move. “We should not take on more powers here until we can exercise the powers that we have got,” he said.
SDLP leader Mark Durkan welcomed Mr Brown’s call for the devolution of policing and justice but said it was a “pity that the unnecessary political uncertainty created by Sinn Féin and the DUP became the focus,” of Mr Brown’s visit.
Gordon Brown under new pressure on leadership: page 10
