Paisley accuses Hain of rewriting British policy

NORTHERN Secretary Peter Hain was at the centre of his first political storm in his new role last night after he was accused of rewriting British government policy in the province.

Democratic Unionist leader the Rev Ian Paisley lambasted Mr Hain after he told the DUP and Sinn Féin in his first interview since taking over at Stormont there could only be forward movement in the peace process.

With the DUP insisting the British should press ahead with set up devolved government without Sinn Féin or devise a more accountable system of direct rule, Mr Hain said yesterday: “There was an agreement seven years ago endorsed by referendum, both north and south, in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and no agreement in modern living memory has had that type of endorsement.