Durkan criticises all sides in the North

The SDLP leader has heavily criticised both republican and unionist circles for disrupting the political process in the North.

Mr Durkan was speaking at a party conference in Armagh this afternoon.

However, Mr Durkan made it clear regarding recent incidents involving republicans that they should not be excluded from peace talks.

He maintained that the Good Friday Agreement is the way forth to take arms out of the equation in the North.

However, the SDLP leader also came down hard on the British government, claiming they were wrong to try and humour hardline groups in the North.

Furthermore, Mr Durkan attacked Sinn Fein for what he said was a boycotting of the police board.

He said that republicans should recognise unionist fears and not just dismiss them as paranoid.