The SDLP deputy leader, Mr Seamus Mallon, has criticised the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, for his decision to suspend the North's political institutions against the backdrop of an eleventh-hour proposal from republicans on the arms issue.
Mr Mandelson was guilty of a "faulty decision" when he made a priority of the internal politics of the Ulster Unionist Party and suspended the political institutions to prevent the resignation of Mr David Trimble, he said.
The needs of "all of the people" in Northern Ireland had been set aside, according to Mr Mallon. "I think that was a mistake and I think time will prove it to be so," he said.
He called on both governments to confirm the existence of more detailed information on the IRA proposition put to the de Chastelain decommissioning body on Friday. The proposals resulted in the publication of a report that stated the IRA had indicated the context in which decommissioning could begin. "Even at this late hour, what I am suggesting and asking is that the two governments confirm that they are aware of other factors that influenced Gen. de Chastelain in terms of his second report.
"Is there other information? Was that other information available to the Secretary of State? Was it properly assessed by the two governments and, if it was properly assessed by the two governments, was there sufficient clarity there?" asked Mr Mallon.
He agreed that Mr Mandelson had been forced to make a difficult decision, but queried if the Northern Secretary took enough time to assess the proposal which resulted in the new report.
Mr Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein yesterday warned the British government that if it continued to reward the UUP leadership for "intransigence and breaches of the Good Friday agreement", there was little prospect of advancing the peace process.
Responding to comments made yesterday by Mr Trimble, who said it was "make your mind up time" for the republican movement, Mr Kelly argued that it was the Ulster Unionists who had "broken commitments".
"Instead of challenging Mr Trimble on all of this, the British government has rewarded him for his bad faith," Mr Kelly said.