Britain begins planning for suspension

The British government is reportedly beginning to devise plans for the suspension of devolution in Northern Ireland.

Although British Prime Minister Tony Blair said this morning that he has not decided on a definite course of action, power over the Northern Executive is expected to be back in British hands by Monday.

The British government will apparently ask two Labour MPs to become ministers in the Northern Ireland Office to take on the work of the power-sharing Executive.

On Tuesday, the new ministers will be in power in Stormont and Northern Secretary John Reid will make a statement to the British House of Commons.