A legal action against the Labour Party over the treatment of its members in Northern Ireland appeared to be heading back to the courts yesterday.
Belfast trades unionist and Labour Party member Andy McGivern confirmed he would be instructing his solicitors to take the case back to court after the party failed to sign an agreement struck in the autumn.
The agreement would have seen Northern Ireland members of the Labour Party able to form their own province-wide forum which could have sent delegates to party conferences, the national policy forum and other key bodies.
However, when Labour Party chiefs failed to meet Mr McGivern's Christmas deadline for the signing and sealing of the agreement, the GMB - Britain's general union - member said enough was enough.
"It is very disappointing. The agreement would have created a forum for Northern Ireland members that would have been like a constituency association.
"It would also have kept under review membership in the province with a view to the possible formation of association.
"It is with a heavy heart that I have to again pursue a legal action against the party I am a member of.
"I find it staggering that it is taking more than three months to have an agreement typed up, signed and lodged with the courts.
"The deadline for this to be wrapped up was Christmas Eve and there is no possibility that it can be met. So it appears to me that the agreement is off."
Mr McGivern had argued that the refusal to allow Northern Ireland members to form constituency associations meant that they had a second-class membership compared to counterparts in England, Scotland and Wales.
The trades unionist, whose race discrimination case against Labour forced the party to overturn a ban on people in Northern Ireland joining, put legal proceedings on hold in his latest race discrimination case to secure a resolution.
His campaign has received the backing of a number of Labour MPs including Northern Ireland-born Kate Hoey.
The Conservative Party, which has members in Northern Ireland and is fielding candidates in the upcoming Assembly Election, has also supported calls for Labour to play a full part in politics in the province.