Sinn Féin make historic policing move

Moves by Sinn Féin leaders to urge their members to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland were tonight hailed as potentially historic on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Downing Street, Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and other political leaders, including the Democratic Unionists’ deputy leaeder, Peter Robinson, welcomed a decision by the Sinn Féin national executive to hold a special party conference next month to consider supporting the Police Service of Northern Ireland.