Trimble urges police reform freeze

Sweeping policing reforms are the focus of intense debate

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has called for policing reforms to be put on hold pending a declaration that Northern Ireland is free of terrorism.

The first minister told a party meeting on Monday night that unionist peers would table an amendment to the Police Bill calling for a moratorium when it gets a third reading in the House of Lords on Wednesday.

He said the weekend discovery of a "barrack buster" mortar device, which is being linked to the Real IRA in County Fermanagh, underlined the continuing "significant" threat from paramilitary groups.

We saw at the weekend - Remembrance weekend - near Enniskillen a large bomb being found and we are continually reminded that there is a security threat

Lord Laird
Ulster Unionist peer

Mr Trimble said the moratorium would continue until the secretary of state declared there was no longer any threat of terrorist activity.

Ulster Unionist peer Lord Laird also believes the continuing terrorist threat is sufficient to warrant a freeze on policing reforms.

"We saw at the weekend - Remembrance weekend - near Enniskillen a large bomb being found and we are continually reminded that there is a security threat," he said.

"It is simply common sense not to dismantle parts of your police force while there is still a terrorist threat."

The moratorium on policing reforms proposed by Mr Trimble comes as a member of the Patten Commission on Policing says the Police Bill has "gutted" their recommendations.

Writing in The Guardian, Professor Clifford Shearing accused the government of dismantling the foundations of the report drafted by the commission headed by EU commissioner Chris Patten.

Professor Shearing said the Police Bill failed to fulfill the hopes and vision of the Good Friday Agreement.

You cannot have an executive, you cannot have an assembly putting together the type of programme for government if the first minister has already commenced an exit strategy

Gerry Adams

Mr Trimble's proposed moratorium is one of a package of measures adapted by the Ulster Unionist Party ruling council on 28 October to force the IRA to re-engage significantly with the body overseeing the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons.

The package also included a ban on Sinn Fein ministers from attending meetings of the North South Ministerial Council.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams urged the UUP leader to review his sanctions against republicans and save the political institutions from collapse during a debate on the programme for government on Monday.

Gerry Adams said the first minister was operating an "exit strategy" to force another suspension of the Northern Ireland executive.

Mr Adams, the MP for West Belfast, said he wanted equality for Sinn Fein ministers.

Mr Adams referred to David Trimble's "exit strategy"

The Sinn Fein leader said: "You cannot have an executive, you cannot have an assembly putting together the type of programme for government if the first minister has already commenced an exit strategy and, in his own words, where he differs only from his party political opponents on a matter of tactics."

He added: "Well the answer has to be made very, very clear that the first thing we need in any government is a government of equals. It has to be based on the principle of equality."

Mr Adams then made an appeal to Mr Trimble.

He urged the UUP leader to "review, to reconsider, to step back from the process which he has commenced because the only conclusion to what he has begun will see not just suspension but the collapse of these political institutions".

Sinn Fein has warned that it is prepared to take legal action over the ban which affects health minister Bairbre de Brun and Martin McGuinness, who holds the education portfolio.