The Conservative Party has called for "an ideological shift" which would require Sinn Féin to actively support the police, courts and rule of law in Northern Ireland before taking seats on the North's Policing Board.
In response to yesterday's publication of the new Northern Ireland Bill pointing to the eventual devolution of policing and justice powers to Stormont, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, David Lidington, said the Conservatives had always said "that in principle we are not opposed to the devolution of powers over policing and justice to the Assembly."
However, Mr Lidington said before this could take place two things must happen: "First, we must be confident that the Assembly can operate on a stable and durable basis. Second, all political parties involved in government must actively support the police, the courts and the rule of law."
Mr Lidington continued: "In the case of Sinn Féin, this is more than simply taking up its seats on the Policing Board or the DPPs [District Policing Partnerships]. We need to see an ideological shift, with republicans formally recognising the legitimacy of the police and criminal justice system."
That change of policy should then be expressed in practical form, by urging republicans to co-operate with the police in investigating crime and encouraging young men and women from republican areas to join the police.
The North's Political Development Minister, David Hanson, has insisted it is still possible to inject momentum into the deadlocked political process notwithstanding the British prime minister's decision to postpone a visit to Northern Ireland originally scheduled for next week.
Mr Blair's decision to call off a major speech designed to revitalise slow and unproductive political talks was widely interpreted as an admission that there was no short-term prospect of breaking the political stalemate.
However Mr Hanson, who with Minister of State for European Affairs Noel Treacy held talks at Stormont yesterday with Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the UUP, Alliance and the Progressive Unionist Party - the DUP did not attend - said the governments remained determined to reinstate the Northern Executive and Assembly this year.
The prime minister will return to Northern Ireland. He has put a lot of work in over the last two weeks in discussions with the political parties. He has a clear objective to restore devolution in 2006.
"That is something he is committed to," he said.
Martin McGuinness, chief negotiator for Sinn Féin, whose ardfheis opens in the RDS, Dublin tonight, described the Northern Ireland Bill as the "first step" in the enactment of British government commitments on justice and policing. "There is much more work to be done," he said.
SF rank-and-file may need to let off steam: page 18