NI Secretary taken to hospital

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy was taken to hospital today after falling ill following Tony Blair’s Labour conference speech.

Mr Murphy had been due to address delegates this afternoon with an update on progress in the North's peace talks.

Mr Murphy chatted to paramedics as they stretchered him from the Brighton conference hall and party sources said he had simply been taken “queasy” as he sat with fellow Cabinet ministers during Mr Blair’s keynote address.