NI push for British Labour gathers pace

The replacement of John Reid as Britain's Labour Party chairman could strengthen a campaign to get the party to lift its membership ban on people in Northern Ireland, it was claimed today.

Belfast-based GMB trades unionist Andy McGivern, who is taking legal action against Labour to force it to allow people in the North to join, welcomed the decision to replace Dr Reid with former Pensions Minister Ian MacCartney in a mini cabinet reshuffle.