Stormont elections - Time to end stalling by unionists

Peter Hain, the Northern Secretary, yesterday threatened to cancel the next Stormont elections if unionist and republican politicians do not form a power-sharing government in the coming year.

He urged both sides to make a concerted effort to restore devolution in 2006. Otherwise, he said, it would be pointless to go ahead with the elections planned to be held in 2007.

The Northern Secretary is due to meet Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern early in the New Year to discuss strategy to revive the power-sharing executive and assembly, set up under the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.