Blair attempts to break impasse

MOVES towards restoring power-sharing in the North lurched forward last night as Sinn Féin welcomed a pledge from British Prime Minister Tony Blair to separate MI5 from policing.

Mr Blair promised the security service would operate separately from the PSNI in a clear bid to break the impasse over devolution.

In a statement to the House of Commons, he said MI5 would have no control of police officers and any interaction between the two organisations on security would be through liaison.