Unionists were this evening urged to unite to exclude Sinn Fein from the Northern Ireland Executive, if the British government fails to do so.
Assembly minister Mr Nigel Dodds urged Ulster Unionists not to wait until the autumn to take action against Sinn Fein. -
"If there is a compelling case to have Sinn Fein/IRA put out of office - and there is - then it should be done as soon as possible and be done on Thursday if the Ulster Unionists will join us," the Democratic Unionist MP for North Belfast said.
"If [British Prime Minister Mr] Tony Blair is not going to stick to his pledges, then clearly the onus is on David Trimble and the UUP to act with us and not try to shift the blame or spotlight on the Prime Minister."
Mr Dodds was commenting as the Northern Ireland Dr John Reid and his officials continued to draft tomorrow's House of Commons statement which Mr Blair promised earlier this month in response to unionist concerns about the IRA.
Mr Blair was also expected to be asked during Question Time about his view of Provisional IRA activities.
Sources in Belfast, London and Dublin tonight expected the British government to warn the IRA about the consequences of breaking ceasefire in the future.
"A line will be drawn on what has happened in the past," a Government source said. "However, they will be told in no uncertain terms about what will happen in the future if they continue to engage in paramilitary activity."
Unionists were not optimistic about the statement.
Ulster Unionist president the Rev Martin Smyth warned that only "real action" against Sinn Fein would satisfy him and his colleagues. Mere words would not be sufficient he said.
The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey today announced plans to convene a meeting of political, civic and religious leaders in Belfast to deal with the problem of sectarian conflict in the city.
PA