North 'not ready to take over policing'

The North is not ready to take over policing powers which could salvage the power-sharing government, the Alliance Party claimed today.

The budget for justice was inadequate and people needed to see stability in the ministerial Executive before policing and justice was devolved, leader David Ford told his annual conference in Bangor, Co Down.

Mr Ford’s centrist party is one of the candidates to take the new ministerial post.

Coalition partners Sinn Féin and the DUP are locked in negotiations to break an impasse preventing the Executive from meeting for three months.

Mr Ford said: “We have seen a much more peaceful atmosphere on the streets but instability in the Executive.

“The condition is now reserved, the people need to see stability in the Executive before there could be devolution of justice to deal with issues on the streets.”

Under an outline deal announced earlier this the DUP and Sinn Féin agreed their parties would not take up the powerful justice role.

The UUP and SDLP have also staked a claim for the post.

Sinn Féin has been pressing for speedy devolution but the DUP wants to take more time to ensure the conditions are right.

DUP leader Peter Robinson today told police chief constable Hugh Orde to stay out of politics.

Orde said the Executive’s failure to meet (another official meeting was cancelled on Thursday) left a vacuum which dissident republicans opposed to the peace process were exploiting by carrying out attacks on police.

Republicans have refused to attend Executive sessions but say they are working to combat fuel poverty and other important issues.

They want action on an Irish language act and education reform before returning to the Cabinet.

Mr Ford added: “To those of you who are hungry to see Alliance taking power, I can assure you that we will be in power soon, when the conditions are right.

“They are not right at the moment. Fundamental changes need to be made across Government. We are not interested in being thrown a few sweeties.

“Our demands are much higher, because we care about the future of this community.”

Mr Ford claimed police numbers would be cut to 6,028 in two years under Treasury projections.

“The current budget for justice is inadequate to meet the needs of a society in transition, with massive investment needed to improve building and IT equipment alone,” he added.

“Yet it is only guaranteed for a couple of years under the current spending round.

“Devolution of power just as the Treasury squeezes spending would be disastrous.”

Among more than 250 present were deputy leader Naomi Long and Assembly member Stephen Farry.

Representatives from Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) also attended following the visit of leader Morgan Tsvangirai to an Alliance-organised conference in Belfast earlier this year.

UUP deputy leader Danny Kennedy said: “Sinn Féin have to end this policy of permanent revolution. They have to end this attitude of believing that they are in a permanent state of negotiation.

“People here, on all sides, longed for a political settlement and they believed they had that settlement – until Sinn Fein pulled up the tent pegs and began behaving like irresponsible ’political hoodies’ once again.

“Their veto on Executive meetings shows that they regard every political blip, such as the appointment of a new First Minister, as yet another opportunity to gain more ground and manipulate more out of the unionist community.”