Sinn Féin in deadlock over policing move

SINN FÉIN’s most senior members — including Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness — were locked in talks last night to decide whether to ask its national executive to meet this weekend and discuss its policy on policing.

As talks among senior party members continued in Belfast last night a spokesman for Sinn Féin said it had not reached any agreement.

“There will be nothing from us tonight, it is very much a work in progress but talks will continue.”

The party is under pressure to call an extraordinary árd fheis and approve a motion supporting the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

The party needs to call its national executive together before it can assemble an árd fheis.

Unless it gets approval from its party members, it will not be able to meet its obligations as part of the recent power sharing deal or stick to the timetable imposed by the British and Irish Governments.

The latest delay has provoked strong criticism from the Democratic Unionist Party.

DUP MP William McCrea said that republicans will come up against a wall of resistance from his party if they do not make concessions on the policing issue.

“Let Sinn Féin/IRA crawl if they want, but we are not moving one inch on our determination to resist any ploy of government to get republicans off the hook.

“The mighty Adams and McGuinness are so anxious to get over this present difficulty that they are willing to soften their demand to government, hoping they’re gullible republican activists will not catch on.

“However, we must be alert to the ploy of the government and the Sinn Féin/IRA leadership and prove that there is a line drawn in the sand.

“It is important to tell government that policing is a major hurdle that republicans must deliver on but there are several other issues, equally important, that will test their sincerity.”

Throughout the week, talks have been ongoing between Sinn Féin, the DUP and the British Government on how the transfer of responsibility for the police service to a power-sharing assembly would take place.

Sinn Féin is looking for a firm set of proposals as to when Stormont would take full responsibility for the police service.

If it calls a meeting of its national executive, it would need the support of a two thirds majority for a full árd fheis.