UK govt 'put Finucane inquiry on hold'

The British government put on hold 18 months ago preparations for a public inquiry into the controversial murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane, it emerged today.

As she prepared for what will be her family’s final meeting with Bertie Ahern before he stands down as Irish Taoiseach next month, Geraldine Finucane, whose husband was gunned down by loyalists in his north Belfast home in 1989, revealed they had recently discovered a decision was taken Peter Hain to stop preparations for the inquiry.