The British government was warned today that Sinn Féin may not prepared to participate in an Assembly at Stormont - a move which drive the political process into a deeper crisis.

The British and Irish governments will tomorrow review the lack of progress in restoring devolution in Northern Ireland since the parties were given a November deadline to a breakthrough.

The political process will be in serious trouble unless Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern take decisive action during talks in Belfast next week, it was claimed today.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams will today signal his party’s reluctance to get caught in a Stormont Assembly that amounts to little more than a talking shop.