Theresa Villiers denies claim British government has a ‘semi-detached’ attitude to Northern Ireland

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers has rejected charges from the British Labour Party that David Cameron’s government is increasingly “semi-detached” in its attitude towards Northern Ireland.

Her declaration comes on the eve of her contribution to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester – one that has been relegated, again, away from the main floor of the gathering.

Clearly irritated by the charge from Labour’s Northern Ireland shadow, Vernon Coaker, Villiers said that the “semi-detached” charge “lacks any credibility”.

She said she has had two “in-depth” sessions with ex-US diplomat Richard Haass, along with talks with each of the Stormont parties over the last fortnight.

“That’s not because I’m trying to micro-manage the outcome,” she told a breakfast organised in Manchester City Hall by peace and reconciliation group CHAMP. “I believe that progress on these issues is hugely important as part of wider efforts to promote reconciliation and mutual understanding between Northern Ireland’s two great traditions.”

The British government will have to be directly involved if primary legislation has to be passed by the House of Commons to accommodate recommendations from Mr Haass, she said.

During a later question-and-answer session, Democratic Unionist MEP Diane Dodds clashed repeatedly with Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew.

The DUP politician sharply condemned the commemoration in Castlederg, Co Tyrone, in August of two IRA members who were killed when a carbomb exploded prematurely.

'Heinous terrorist campaign'
Accepting that the families of the men grieved, Ms Dodds said her party would never accept that they could be compared with those who were killed "during a heinous terrorist campaign".

Meanwhile, Ms Gildernew criticised plans to extend Northern Ireland’s gas network into Fermanagh, predicting that it would be used “to take out gas” drilled by fracking, “rather than to bring it in”.