Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson, the Democratic Unionist Party leader, has condemned the BBC's refusal to review its decision to exclude his party from televised general election debates.
In a letter, BBC director-general Tony Hall said the decision not to include the DUP had been taken "after careful consideration of our responsibilities to licence fee payers throughout the UK and mindful of our obligations of due impartiality".
Mr Hall said the BBC acknowledged that the DUP has eight MPs and “would not suggest that MPs elected in Northern Ireland have any lesser status than those elected in the rest of the United Kingdom”.
However, he added: “We are clear that we would not be fulfilling our obligations of impartiality to the voters of NI if we were to invite one of the NI parties, but not all the others which also have substantial support in NI.”
Clearly infuriated, Mr Robinson described it as “an irrational response”, particularly since three of the parties invited to take part in the proposed seven-strong debate already stand for election in the North.
Meanwhile, the British Labour Party has angrily condemned claims that it has made approaches to Sinn Féin to see if it would abandon its abstentionist policy and take up seats in the House of Commons after the May election.
The Sun claimed Labour had approached Sinn Féin to see if it would be prepared “to prop up” a minority government.
The report was seized upon by prime minister David Cameron in the House of Commons. "We have seen Labour casting around for a coalition with the SNP and a coalition with Sinn Féin - the first time Britain would have people who want to break up Britain and bankrupt Britain. What a useless shower," he said.
Later, Conservative Central Office produced a Photoshopped image showing Labour leader Ed Miliband, the Scottish National Party's Alex Salmond and Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams together on the steps of No. 10 Downing Street.
Under the headline, “Your worst nightmare got even worse”, the Conservatives reprinted The Sun’s headline - “Desperate Labour Wooing Sinn Féin” - and went on to declare “the SNP and Sinn Féin propping up Ed Miliband. Chaos for Britain”.
Describing the story as "untrue nonsense", Labour's Northern Ireland spokesman Ivan Lewis said that it showed the Conservatives "clearly intend to fight this election in the gutter" and are prepared to exploit the peace process for its own ends.
Sinn Féin has five MPs who have never taken their seats but they do have offices in the Commons. Given their absence from the Commons chamber it means the number required for a majority is 323.
The absence has not mattered in this parliament but given no single party is expected to have a majority in the next Commons, Sinn Féin’s presence or absence become highly significant.
Sinn Féin Newry and Armagh MP Conor Murphy became the latest in a line of senior party figures to describe as a fantasy chatter that the party would abandon its long-held abstentionist policy.
“Our position on refusing to take our seats at Westminster has been repeatedly endorsed by our electorate and this remains our position as we face into this year’s election,” he said.
