The British government tonight faces renewed demands to amend its policing legislation in Northern Ireland as Downing Street moved to deny claims of a rift between Mr Tony Blair and Mr Peter Mandelson over demilitarisation.
A Claim by Sinn Fein vice-president Mr Martin McGuinness that British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair and his Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Peter Mandelson are divided over the issue of demilitarisation has been dismissed Downing Street.
A spokesman for Number 10 said Mr McGuinness was simply "wrong": "We have heard this many times in the past, this is a traditional refrain from Sinn Fein but repetition does not make it true,'' he said.
"We have said throughout there can be further normalisation - indeed we want further normalisation - but there can only be movement if there is reduced risk," he continued.
With nationalists still refusing to endorse the British government's police reforms, Sinn Fein's Mr Gerry Kelly argued the only way to secure their approval would be to amend the Police Act.
The North Belfast MLA said: "The gap between the Patten recommendations and the Mandelson legislation can only be bridged by amending the Police Act which clearly falls short of what nationalists and republicans were promised.
"The British Government must, therefore, introduce changes quickly. They could do it in a week if they have the political will. Up until now there has been an absence of that will."
Meanwhile, the SDLP emerged from what was described as a "workmanlike" hour-and-a-half meeting at Stormont with Northern Ireland Office security minister Adam Ingram.
Sources said the party stressed its concerns about the future role of special branch, the full and part-time reserve, the entry of police from the Irish Republic into the new service, the closure of Gough Barracks and the issue of symbols and flags.
"It would be wrong to say we reached any conclusions but both sides have agreed to look at all these issues again in the near future and we believe agreement is still possible,'' one source said.
Prior to the meeting, SDLP Assembly member Mr Alban Maginness warned it would be foolish to believe his party could be pressurised into endorsing the police reforms: ``This is not a party political issue as far as we are concerned. This is an issue for the whole of society.
``If we do not get policing right, then it fundamentally weakens the chances that we have for a peaceful, democratic society here. That is what we are working to achieve - a credible basis for a new beginning to policing in Northern Ireland and that is not party political,'' he said.
The SDLP has been facing renewed pressure from the Government in recent days to nominate members to the Police Board to which the new Police Service of Northern Ireland will be answerable.
Sinn Fein has refused to nominate members to the board or advise young nationalists and republicans to join the police on the basis of the Government's legislation.
Reuters