Brown to meet North's leaders

British prime minister Gordon Brown is to meet political leaders in the North next week as negotiations aimed at stabilising the power-sharing government intensify.

Mr Brown is expected to be in Belfast on Tuesday when he will meet party leaders at Stormont’s parliament buildings.

The visit is part of a wider tour of the UK by Brown, but his visit to the North coincides with talks between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin.

The two parties are divided over a series of issues including the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Assembly, which was promised in the political deal that led to the formation of the Stormont government.

Republicans are pressing for progress on the issue and unionists are so far insisting it is too early for the fledgling government to take responsibility for law and order issues.

Sinn Féin has threatened to withdraw its ministers from government if the DUP does not agree to move forward, but with cabinet meetings blocked at Stormont since June as a result of the dispute, DUP leader Peter Robinson has threatened serious consequences if a meeting of ministers planned for next Thursday does not go ahead.

The two parties have agreed that any new justice ministry should be a single post – as opposed to a joint office – while the job would go to someone outside the ranks of the DUP or Sinn Féin.

The Alliance was touted as a possible agreed third party, but it has said it will not take on any new ministry, insisting the Executive should first settle its differences over issues such as education reform, rural planning and the future of the Maze prison site.

The Alliance party is expected to meet Brown next week and tonight its leader David Ford said his party was happy to engage in any efforts to solve the problems blocking progress at Stormont.

“We will play a constructive and positive role if there are talks to settle the outstanding issues facing the Executive,” said Mr Ford.

“If we are invited to talks, we will be there,” he said. “We have always adopted that position.”

It is understood meetings are being planned between the DUP and Alliance, as well as other parties, over the next week.

Sinn Féin and the DUP met for continuing talks today, while an Assembly committee began discussions aimed at helping to shape the future of any new justice ministry.