SF votes to continue support for PSNI

The Sinn Féin Ard Fheis has voted heavily against changing its recent decision on supporting the police in the North.

One resolution which stated the party should not pledge allegiance to policing was withdrawn. Others qualifying the level of support were also defeated by a large majority.

It is only weeks since the party decided at a special Ard Fheis to support the police, but several cumann tabled resolutions calling for a reversal.

Sinn Féin policing spokesman Gerry Kelly urged the party to reject the motions, saying if passed they would remove all the pressure now being heaped on Ian Paisley's DUP to agree to share power.

One resolution from Co Kerry saying that support for the police amounted to reinforcing British rule was withdrawn.

Others from Fermanagh, Co Dublin and Monaghan called for support for policing to be conditional on loyalists disarming, or London agreeing a date for ending partition.

In the event, no one spoke in favour of the motions and they were overwhelmingly defeated.