Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain was tonight accused of pandering to the Rev Ian Paisley with his proposal for a Stormont committee which would prepare for the return of devolution.
As Mr Hain also revealed plans for intensive talks next month involving the Assembly parties, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, SDLP deputy leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell accused the minister of tailoring the Preparation for Government Committee to suit Mr Paisley's party.
"We have warned the Secretary of State that there is little point in a committee if the real action is going to be elsewhere," the South Belfast MP said.
"There is little point in all parties working the committee if the British Government is going to be negotiating side deals with the DUP behind everybody's back - like the over 100 secret deals they gave the DUP with the December 2004 Comprehensive Agreement.
"We are disturbed at the manner in which Secretary of State pandered to the DUP yesterday by assuring them that negotiations would not be in the committee - but would be with the governments instead."
Mr Hain confirmed he had asked Northern Ireland Assembly Speaker Eileen Bell to convene the new committee on June 6.
The four parties forming a power-sharing executive in the event of devolution returning - the DUP, Sinn Fein, Ulster Unionists and the SDLP - would be entitled to up to three seats, while the cross-community Alliance Party could claim up to two.
It is envisaged that the committee will consider proposals on how a ministerial code of ethics and a pledge of office should work at Stormont, including the suggestion that ministers will have to state their support for the police.
Among the other issues it will also examine will be the relationship between the Assembly and ministers as well as the power-sharing executive and North-South institutions.
MLAs were given until next Tuesday by Mr Hain to declare whether they would participate in the committee which will meet ahead of the talks involving the British and Irish Prime Ministers.
Sinn Fein has so far refused to take part in Assembly debates on the economy and planning regulations because they believe it is pointless in the absence of MLAs exercising any real power.
The party's chief negotiator, Martin McGuinness, said today that his party's Assembly group would judge whether it was worth participating in the committee on whether it would actually deliver power sharing.
Following the failure of MLAs on Monday to elect First and Deputy First Ministers to head a future administration, Mr Hain said the committee was badly needed.
PA