DUP meet SDLP, Alliance Party to isolate Sinn Féin

THE Democratic Unionists yesterday embarked on a fresh effort to persuade other parties in the North to freeze Sinn Féin out of a future devolved government.

Ian Paisley's party arranged a lunchtime meeting with the nationalist SDLP and the cross-community Alliance Party at Stormont as pressure mounted for Sinn Féin's expulsion from the review of the Good Friday Agreement.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has threatened to walk out if sanctions are not imposed on Sinn Féin over the attempted abduction 10 days ago of dissident republican Bobby Tohill in Belfast.