Irish, British govts accused of pandering to Sinn Fein

The Democratic Unionist Party has accused the Irish and British governments of pandering to Sinn Fein by postponing their plans to unveil proposals for restoring the North's suspended political institution.

The document was supposed to be a final offer by the two governments, but this morning, they said further negotiations were needed to secure the support of the pro-agreement parties.

DUP leader Ian Paisley said: "There were to be no further talks. It was to be a take-it-or-leave-it basis. Now the [British] Prime Minister has signalled his willingness to bow the knee to IRA-Sinn Fein and to continue with more negotiations."

Monica McWilliams of the cross-community Women's Coalition expressed anger at the last-minute postponement. She said negotiations have been ongoing since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 and should have been completed by now.

"The election was even delayed until May 29 to provide additional breathing space," she added.

"How can anyone turn round and ask for more time?" Alliance Party leader David Ford, meanwhile, said the postponement was due to the Irish and British government's failure to include all parties in the negotiations.

"It's clear the process in recent weeks has been neither open nor inclusive and I believe that has contributed to the difficulties we now find ourselves in," he said.