The Northern Secretary has dismissed the possibility that today's re-run of the election for the posts of First and Deputy First Ministers could be thwarted by a DUP legal challenge.
The DUP's deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, announced on Saturday that his party was consulting legal advisers to see whether today's election could be stopped. The DUP argues that by letting Saturday's deadline for the renominations slip Dr Reid had broken a legal obligation to call fresh Assembly elections immediately.
Dr Reid was satisfied that he had acted properly. "As far as the threat of legal action is concerned, I have to say it is not the first time that Secretaries of State in Northern Ireland have had legal actions taken against them, nor even the first time by Dr Paisley.
"I am aware of my legal obligations. The position we find ourselves in is that I have a statutory obligation to propose an election date because there is no First or Deputy First Minister. That is the position today We could be in a position tomorrow where there is a First and a Deputy First Minister, therefore getting rid of the cause which gave rise to the statutory obligation."
Mr Robinson criticised Alliance for its decision to redesignate some members as unionists. "They have managed to make hypocrisy an art form. On Friday they were scoffing at the Women's Coalition for what they were proposing to do with redesignation. Now they are doing it themselves."
One of the UUP MLAs who voted against Mr Trimble, Mrs Pauline Armitage, said the Alliance move was "either bold or stupid", adding that the peace process had become "nothing short of a farce".