Reid gives Commons statement

Northern Ireland was back under direct rule from London today after the British government suspended devolution at midnight in an attempt to save the peace process.

Allegations of a republican spy ring right at the heart of government were the final straw which forced Ulster Secretary John Reid to mothball the power sharing Executive and 108 member assembly.

Dr Reid was making a statement to the British House of Commons today giving a detailed explanation of just why he had to suspend the latest experiment with government in Northern Ireland to protect the Good Friday Agreement.

It will be the fourth time a Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has stood before MPs to make the same announcement in recent years as the province’s politicians fail to bury the past.

On the last two occasions it was a procedural 24 hour affair, this time it will be much longer. While Dr Reid hopes the suspension will not run on and on he has prepared for a lengthy period of direct rule.

His team of junior ministers at the Northern Ireland Office, Jane Kennedy and Des Browne, has been doubled with the inclusion of Angela Smith and Ian Pearson, to cope with the rigours of direct rule.

The duties of 10 devolved departmental ministers will be divided up among the Northern Ireland Office ministers, with an announcement of who does what expected before the day is out.

The move to suspend devolution came as pressure mounted on republicans to prove their commitment to a process of IRA disbandment.

Expressing regret at having to suspend the institutions, Dr Reid insisted on Monday night the government was determined to restore trust between the province’s parties and bring back devolution.

"There are a number of reasons why there is a lack of trust there. There are suspicions on both sides," he said.

"However the one that no-one can get away from, the one that is hitting us all in the face, is the ambiguity that people feel about republicans’ attitude towards politics and violence."

The British government’s suspension action has been supported by the United States government. Richard Haas, President Bush’s special advisor on Northern Ireland, said the IRA and other terrorist groups need to give up all paramilitary actions.

Mr Haas said recent actions, what he called "potential preparations for violence" raised all sorts of questions.

"There simply can’t be any tolerance for this kind of behaviour and the IRA and paramilitaries across the board need to complete the transition and essentially need to go out of business."