UUP to oppose devolution deal

The Northern Ireland Assembly is braced for a tense stand-off after the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) declared it will use a crunch vote today to reject the deal brokered to stabilise the power-sharing government.

Despite international pleas for it to support the deal, the party last night insisted it did not believe the power-sharing regime is ready for the devolution of policing and justice powers from Westminster.