Mowlam backs parades body

A NEW British Labour government would appoint a parades commission to replace the RUC as the statutory body empowered to decide…

A NEW British Labour government would appoint a parades commission to replace the RUC as the statutory body empowered to decide on disputed parades in Northern Ireland.

Dr Mo Mowlam, the Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, confirmed this departure from the bi-partisan policy to The Irish Times night. Asked if she would implement the proposals in government, Dr Mowlam said: "Yes, I will. I believe the force of law for the independent commission makes sense."

Her move came amid nationalist charges that the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, had bowed to unionist pressure to defer action on the key proposal of the North report on parades and marches, published yesterday.

The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, will discuss the issue with the Secretary of State at an informal meeting on the margins of the Stormont talks next week. He will raise strong objections to the lengthy consultation period proposed by the British government before the commission is established. The Government's concern is that the commission may not be in place before this year's marching season.

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Asked if he was disappointed by the delay, the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, said: "I would like to see the legislation to give effect to this in place before the marching season opens. That's essentially my bottom line." The central thrust of the report was reasonable, he added.

Mr Spring said that in view of the imminence of the marching season, the main recommendations should be implemented without delay. "There are already ominous signs that the confront national attitudes and the refusal of dialogue which caused the crisis last year are again coming to the fore."

In the Commons yesterday, Sir Patrick described the proposal to transfer powers from the RUC as "radical and far-reaching" and opted for a further period of "precisely focused and time-limited" consultation to be completed by the end of March.

The effect of Sir Patrick's announcement was to preclude necessary legislation before the British general election, and prompted Mr Seamus Mallon, deputy leader of the SDLP, to suggest the government's decision had been influenced by the parliamentary arithmetic at Westminster.

Sir Patrick told MPs the proposed five-member parades commission would be appointed "with the mediation, conciliation and educational roles recommended in the report".

Urging Sir Patrick to "act on the guts of the report", Dr Mowlam asked: "What views will he seek that have not already been sought by the reviewers? And why does he think that - in just eight weeks - he will be able to improve on the conclusions that those conducting this review reached over five months?"

Dr Mowlam said last night she accepted the need for a political judgment and that mediation and negotiation were the best way to proceed over disputed parades, but in the absence of that it was necessary to have some structure in place. The one proposed by Dr Peter North and his colleagues is as good as we're likely to get.

Dr Mowlam's commitment is likely to add further strain to her relations with the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, and could have an influence on the UUP's strategic decisions on Westminster votes in the run-up to the general election.

Unionist MPs fought an intensive campaign behind the scenes at Westminster to influence the government's decision. There was renewed speculation last night that Sir Patrick had had to accommodate strong representations from other members of the cabinet's Northern Ireland committee.

Full text of the executive summary of the Independent Review of Parades and Marches is available on The Irish Times on the Web: http://www. irish-times. com