Northern Ireland policing and justice talks move to London
After some progress in Belfast, Gordon Brown hosts another round of talks to break deadlock between DUP and Sinn Féin
Gordon Brown will host another round of talks today to break the deadlock over policing and justice between Northern Ireland’s two main parties.
The first minister, Peter Robinson, and deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, will take part in discussions at Downing Street.
Brown held a series of meetings at Stormont yesterday on how to devolve policing and justice powers to Northern Ireland. British government sources said the talks had yielded some progress.
The DUP’s Robinson and Sinn Féin’s McGuinness held separate talks with the prime minister in Belfast and both agreed to have further discussions in London.
“We are calm, we are behaving rationally, we are working through the issues,” Robinson said.
McGuinness said: “In terms of the financial situation, we are moving forward, I think fairly decisively.”The cost of the deal is thought to be in the region of around £600m over the next few years.
It is understood that the DUP has submitted an eight-page dossier to Brown. As well more money for policing, the party is also seeking the retention of the police reserve and the freeing up of weapons to former members of the security forces for personal protection.
Sinn Féin and the DUP have been in dispute over when the powers should be devolved from London.
While Sinn Féin wants it to happen immediately, the DUP is more cautious and has said the transfer of powers will not happen before Christmas.
There are fears that the row between the two could destabilise and bring down the power-sharing executive.
