Hain hints at possible fudge deal on power-sharing

Northern Secretary Peter Hain has hinted that some kind of fudge deal may be reached to delay the full restoration of power-sharing in the North.

Mr Hain has been insisting for weeks that next Monday's deadline for the DUP to enter government with Sinn Féin is set in stone.

He has warned that the Assembly will be scrapped and politicians will stop getting paid if a fully functioning Executive is not up and running by then.

However, he suggested today that, if the various ministers are nominated by Monday, the deadline for full power-sharing might be delayed to give the parties time to settle into their roles.

"I think there can be ways of devolving and also giving people a space to work out a programme for government, as happened before, rather than simply starting off at 100mph," he said.

His comments could indicate a capitulation to DUP demands that unionists be given several weeks of breathing space to satisfy themselves that Sinn Féin is committed to supporting the rule of law.