Tories fail to block RUC Bill

Unionist and nationalist politicians are divided over policing reforms

An effort by the Conservative Party to block a Bill proposing sweeping reforms of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has been defeated at Westminster.

An amendment which would halt the Police(NI) Bill's second reading was defeated by a majority of 200 after a day long debate in the House of Commons.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson had announced earlier on Tuesday a series of concessions in an attempt to persuade the nationalist community to back the plans.

The reforms proposed in the Bill follow the publication of a report by the Independent Commission on Policing headed by EU Commissioner Chris Patten last September.

Both sides of the community in Northern Ireland have their concerns about the Bill - unionists think it goes too far, and nationalists argue that it is a dilution of the Patten recommendations.

Promising "a new beginning for policing" in Northern Ireland, Mr Mandelson strengthened the powers of the new policing board and said he had "an open mind" about further changes to the bill.

MPs from all sides of the house have tabled amendments to the bill, with a group of Labour backbenchers sympathetic to the nationalist cause tabling a clause outlining their total opposition to it.

Mr Mandelson said the concessions would ensure that all police officers - current as well as future recruits - signed up to a new code of ethics.

Chris Patten headed an international commission into future of policing

They would also put the powers and responsibilities of the newly appointed independent commissioner, who will oversee the reforms of the RUC, onto a statutory level.

In order to bring more nationalists in to the force, the concessions also extend the operation of quotas for the recruitment of Catholics.

Renaming the RUC

One of the most bitter controversies over the bill is the provision it makes for renaming the RUC.

If it is passed, there would be no statutory permanent name for the police in Northern Ireland - the power to name the force would rest with the Secretary of State.

Nationalists have complained that the government's legislation has watered down the Patten recommendations.

In the Commons, Deputy First Minister and SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon stressed the importance of implementing the key recommendations that Mr Patten made.

We profoundly disagree with the assertion that the police service should be entirely free of any association with the symbols of the state

Andrew Mackay MP

"If we get this (Bill) right - it means for me, I'll go into the hardest parts of Northern Ireland and I'll ask people to join the police service and support it. But we must get it right," he said.

'Implacably opposed'

But Shadow Northern Ireland Spokesman Andrew Mackay told MPs that the Tories remain "implacably opposed" to scrapping the name of the RUC.

He suggested the old name should continue to stand alongside the new name - the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Ken Maginnis of the Ulster Unionist Party told the House that the Patten report had "shown no awareness of the needs and sacrifices of the RUC".

But senior Ulster-born Tory MP Brian Mahwhinney urged Peter Mandelson not to be "overly influenced by some of the unionist community" in his attempts to depoliticise policing.

He said Unionists were too inclined to attach themselves to the RUC "as if they were in perpetuity Siamese twins".

The Bill will also create a new Northern Ireland Policing Board to replace the Police Authority for Northern Ireland;

In order to encourage applicants from the force from all sides of the community, the bill also creates a new declaration for recruits and a code of ethics for police officers.

Under the Bill, the interests and associations of police officers would be registered.

It also proposes to incorporate into law the powers of the Oversight Commissioner appointed to ensure the implementation of the reforms.