Hain insists unionists have no excuse now

Sinn Féin’s move to support the police in the North leaves unionists with no excuse to balk at power-sharing, NI Secretary Peter Hain insisted today.

As he prepared to meet Irish premier Bertie Ahern ahead of today’s Six Nations Rugby Clash between Wales and Ireland in Cardiff, Mr Hain said the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists were under no illusions about the March 26 deadline for devolution at Stormont.