‘Dissident republicans’ blamed for Belfast violence
Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain has blamed “dissident republicans” for another spate of firebomb attacks in Belfast last night.
He said the violence was an attempt to derail the St Andrews agreement, which last month set out a timetable for restoring power-sharing government in the province.
“They will not be allowed to succeed. The whole community is united against them. We will hunt them down and bring them before the courts,” Mr Hain said.
Northern Ireland’s politicians are today meeting with chancellor Gordon Brown to take the next step in the peace process and decide what investment is needed in the province.
The parties are reportedly agreed that there must be major investment in infrastructure, a cut in corporation tax, concessions on water charges and possible fuel duty cuts.
Today’s meeting is not expected to end in any formal policies, but is an essential part of laying the groundwork for the handover of power to a new executive at Stormont next March.
During prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons this lunchtime, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Jeffrey Donaldson condemned the Belfast attacks, saying the perpetrators had “nothing to offer Northern Ireland”.
His comments were supported by Tony Blair, who told MPs the attacks were taking place “because people don’t want the prospect of agreement that was offered at St Andrews”.
“They’re trying to disrupt it, they’re trying to change the state of desire of the people of Northern Ireland to live together in peace,” he said.
“The best response to such acts of violence is to make sure the St Andrews agreement is fully implemented, that we get the institutions back up and running.”
Eddie McGrady, MP for the nationalist SDLP, also asked Mr Blair about “secret side deals” being agreed on issues such as education and selection in Northern Ireland schools, saying they “can only frustrate the most credible agreements”.
The prime minister replied: “I think the most important thing is that decisions on things like education are taken by directly elected politicians in Northern Ireland and that’s one of the reasons why we want the St Andrews agreement to succeed.
“And that agreement is very open about what is necessary – we need to resolve the issue to do with policing but I think there is tremendous desire across Northern Ireland for that deal to be implemented.”
Politicians have another ten days to consult on the St Andrews agreement before they give their response to the British and Irish governments who proposed it.
They must then agree a first minister and deputy by November 24th to prevent the Stormont assembly being dissolved.
