THE Northern Ireland Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, has insisted that the British government will listen "very carefully" to Ulster unionist politicians, but will essentially "do its duty according to what it considers to be right", in the period following the defection of a Tory MP, Emma Nicholson, to the Liberal Democrat Party.
This defection reduces the government's majority in the House of Commons to three. But speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Sir Patrick moved to discount rumours that Ulster Unionist MPs would have a greater influence on the government's Northern Ireland policy in exchange for supporting the British government in a confidence vote.
He said: "The unionists represent the largest number of people living in Northern Ireland. I recognise no difference in the essential equation by reason of events in the last few days or even a longer period."
He said a stable government was "very important, very necessary" to the peace process - but there was no instant solution. "You don't suddenly wave a wand and come forward with a bright new idea. It's a question of a very long, very steady very principled addressing of the issues, taking everybody's views into account, who is prepared - and this is the important point - who is prepared to commit themselves wholly and exclusively to peaceful and democratic methods."
The conclusion of the international body on arms decommissioning is expected this month and Sir Patrick had a "reasonable hope" that it would "throw light from the side" on the issue of illegally held arms.
Recent murders in the North had shown how important it is that these weapons should be "got rid of", but he gave a reminder that the British government would not be bound by the commission's conclusions, saying: "It's advisory only. We have the responsibility for the lives of the people in Northern Ireland; we shall continue to exercise that responsibility."
While Sir Patrick said he realised there was "a very strong desire" to see all party talks begin on a proper democratic basis, he added, there would be "empty chairs round the table" if the government did not conduct the talks process on a fair basis. It would, destroy the very political process upon which everything depends. "We're not going to do that; were not expected to do that. We would be bitterly criticised if we did it, we're not going to do it."