This is the text of the document circulated to journalists in Belfast yesterday by Mr Chris McGimpsey of the UUP, which purports to be an extract from a memo written by a senior British government official:
This debate was, interestingly, mirrored in a vigorous exchange between the Secretary of State and Brian Cowen over dinner during the Prime Minister's visit to Dublin on 18th April, an exchange which was broken off and interrupted by the arrival of the Prime Minister and Taoiseach from their tete-a-tete. Cowen's line appeared to be that, beyond the constitutional acceptance that Northern Ireland remained part of the UK, there should be no further evidence of Britishness in the governance of Northern Ireland. It was an argument presented with all the subtlety and open-mindedness that one would expect from a member of Sinn Fein. There was no disposition among members of his entourage or indeed by Martin Mansergh, who was also present, to water down this line. It is not one, however, that I would have expected the Taoiseach to put over in such an unvarnished way. It underlined the view which I know the Secretary of State holds that Cowen has no feel for or understanding of Unionist concerns and can usually be reliably counted on to tack to the green at every opportunity.