Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has been forced into a U-turn on the sitting next week of the Stormont Assembly, it was claimed last night.
The Reverend Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists claim Mr Hain was forced to back down on a plan to hold no debates for the second week running at Stormont after they threatened not to participate in a special committee formed at Stormont to prepare for devolved government.
There was outrage from unionists, nationalists and cross-community politicians after Mr Hain informed Assembly members there would be no debates next week.
Assembly members had suggested debates on the imposition of rates on manufacturers in Northern Ireland and on the British government's controversial plans for the shake-up of local government and public bodies.
"Dr Paisley made it clear that there would be no Preparation for Government Committee unless there was an Assembly debate next week," a source said. "We have now been informed a debate will take place."
Stormont sources speculated that the government was unwilling to risk the prospect of the SDLP joining Sinn Féin in boycotting the debates in protest at the British Government's attitude to the reconvened Assembly.
The SDLP has initially agreed to participate in the debates despite their reservations about the Assembly sitting before the possible return of devolution.
The SDLP has given the British government a testing period to prove it is willing to take the Assembly's will seriously, particularly on motions which criticise British Government policy in Northern Ireland.
Sinn Féin has said it will only participate in Assembly business on the formation of a power-sharing executive. The party has stayed away from two debates so far on the economy and new planning regulations, claiming they were pointless in the absence of devolution.
PA