Reid: Assembly collapse in nobody's interest

Northern Secretary John Reid has insisted that the collapse of the Stormont Assembly is not in the interests of the people of the North.

Dr Reid was responding to ongoing unionist threats to bring down the Assembly if the British government fails to exclude Sinn Fein from power.

In a clear swipe at these unionist hardliners, he said: "This is not an easy process. It is complex and involves compromises and at times it is messy.

"However, we have clear objectives. We have a system of Government based on the consent of the people of Northern Ireland which includes all sides in Northern Ireland as well as a cross-border dimension."

Earlier today, the Ulster Unionist Party’s assembly group held a meeting to discuss Dr Reid’s promise yesterday that action will be taken against Sinn Fein if the IRA is found to have breached its ceasefire.

Speaking after the meeting, party leader David Trimble said his colleagues feel that Dr Reid’s statement to the House of Commons and his subsequent conduct was appalling.

"The Secretary of State gave the impression that he personally was not committed to dealing with the paramilitaries and that he was in effect sending the message that the paramilitaries had won," Mr Trimble said.