Tightrope to harmonious Stormont visit

Harmony at Stormont as the Queen speaks

In the wake of the Queen's visit to Stormont, political correspondent Mark Simpson explains how a delicate round of talks behind-the-scenes ensured the event passed off without a major row.

It was the most sensitive set of negotiations at Stormont since the Northern Ireland Assembly first met.

After bitter disputes over remembrance poppies, Easter lillies, Union Flags and the Irish language, somehow the Queen managed to visit Parliament Buildings with barely an eye-brow raised.

Many people are still scratching their heads wondering how on earth it happened with so little political fuss.

The truth is that the political 'sting' was carefully taken out of the situation by a series of private meetings at Stormont over the course of the past six months.

And the key to success was the fact that it was all talking - and no voting.

Speaker Lord Alderdice: Delicate talks

Those close to the talks say that if there had been a vote on the visit of the Queen, the trip may never have taken place.

If, say, Sinn Fein had voted against such an invitation, the display of division on the floor of the chamber may well have deterred the Palace from including Parliament Buildings on the Queen's itinerary.

The aim was to try to get all sides to "not object" to the visit, rather than openly support it.

Almost a vote

But this plan came very close to failure.

A vote on a possible Royal visit almost took place.

In January, the DUP tabled the following motion: "That this assembly extends an invitation to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, during her proposed visit to Northern Ireland, to visit and address the Northern Ireland Assembly in this the year of her Golden Jubilee".

The motion was, however, never debated.

Instead, the talking was done in the corridors rather than the chamber.

The Speaker, Lord Alderdice, met all the parties in private in recent months, and, crucially, in the end it was him - not the parties - who sent the invitation to the Palace.

Recently-released minutes of the assembly's business committee from 4 April confirm this.

"The Speaker informed members that, having received no objections during his meetings with the parties, he had issued an invitation to Her Majesty The Queen to attend Parliament Buildings for a reception in the Great Hall at which she could meet members and make a short address," state the minutes.

Lord Alderdice had walked a political tight-rope and managed not to fall off.

Sinn Fein's subsequent decision to stay away from the Royal visit - but not disrupt it - was no surprise.

The Speaker obviously knew that he could issue the invitation to the Queen and promise that her presence at Stormont would not create a huge political row.

Ireland's President McAleese: Future Stormont visitor?

In spite of official denials, republicans are still hopeful of a visit soon to Stormont by the Irish president, Mary McAleese.

The decision by the SDLP to join unionists and the other parties at the Queen's Stormont reception meant that there was still cross-community representation at the event, in spite of the 'no-show' by Sinn Fein.

For once at Stormont, all the parties were happy.

It was all a far cry from the shouting and jostling six months ago, that led to the "brawl in the hall" incident.

In stark contrast, the "Royal in the hall" incident on Tuesday evening showed a more dignified side to the assembly.

It showed that when push comes to shove (no pun intended), that political deals can still be done at Stormont.