Elections to restore stability vital

The thuggery displayed by an out-of-control loyalist terror group in driving Catholics out of their home in north Belfast is indicative of the political vacuum that exists there.

That it happened the day before the Irish and British Governments confirmed the names of the four new members of the Independent Monitoring Commission which will investigate threats from paramilitary groups, is an irony which will not be lost on those unfortunate families. They will not be too concerned with the composition of the commission, which is unlikely to reduce such barbaric sectarian incidents by itself.

Its role will be to report on the IRA and loyalist ceasefires every six months and scrutinise the programme of demilitarisation and complaints about political tactics which threaten the stability of the devolved institutions.