Conventional wisdom, that imperfect, inconsistent gauge of our thoughts, suggests voters can be divided into three categories: Those who vote for Sinn Féin, those who might, and those who, no matter what, would never vote for the party.

Peter Robinson received unanimous backing from Democratic Unionist members of the Northern Ireland Assembly today following the loss of his East Belfast Westminster seat.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was under further pressure today after fresh claims he covered up sex abuse allegations against fellow republicans – one of them an elected member of his party.

Under pressure Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams today insisted he did not know his suspected child abuser brother worked for his party in the heart of his own constituency.

Two former members of the British Army's Ulster Defence Regiment have been warned about a threat to their lives from the Real IRA, according to a local DUP Assembly member.

Catholic schools which retain academic selection will inevitably discriminate against some children, the North's Education Minister claimed today.

Sinn Féin boycotting the North’s ministerial Executive would leave them adopting old unionist tactics linked to the Government’s collapse, the Assembly heard today.

Plans to dismantle Belfast’s network of so-called peace walls dividing loyalist and nationalist neighbourhoods must be driven by both communities, Stormont First Minister Ian Paisley said today.

DUP Assembly members will today decide who should succeed the Reverend Ian Paisley as party leader.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s plans for Northern Ireland Assembly members to attend 1916 Easter Rising and Battle of the Somme commemorations were dealt a blow today after they were rejected by the Ulster Unionists.

The British government was today urged to come up with an education strategy for all ages in loyalist areas of Belfast.

The Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists today snubbed Peter Hain by withdrawing an invitation to the Northern Ireland Secretary to address their councillors.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain was today preparing to face Assembly members from the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists.

Supporters of three Irish republicans facing 17 years in a Colombian jail are planning a desperate new strategy today to win their release.

Northern Ireland’s politicians were tonight preparing for another week of intense negotiations as hopes of a significant peace process breakthrough rose.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern were urged today to “call the Democratic Unionists’ bluff” by triggering power sharing moves in Northern Ireland.

A senior member of the Democratic Unionist Party today backed demands for the segregation of loyalist and republican prisoners in a Northern Ireland jail.

Ian Paisley today led his Democratic Unionists out of the Northern Ireland Assembly after accusing the Government of double standards.

A DUP Assembly member was threatened with suspension from the Assembly today after he addressed Education Minister Martin McGuinness as ‘‘the Commander’’.