Northern Ireland's Alliance Party has tonight decided to change the designation of its assembly members to unionist to solve the crisis in the Northern Ireland political institutions.
After a frantic round of negotiations party sources said they were planning to change the affiliation of Alliance Assembly members to help Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble return to the power-sharing government.
Mr Trimble and incoming SDLP leader Mark Durkan failed yesterday to get elected as first and deputy first ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive in an Assembly vote.
Both men secured the full support of nationalists but fell one vote short of the Unionist majority Ulster required.
An Alliance sourcesaid: "We have decided to redesignate as unionists for a period of a week."
The party has scheduled a press conference for shortly after 7.00 p.m. this evening.
A delegation from the party met the Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid this afternoon and has also held talks with Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness at Stormont.
Prior to the meeting with Sinn Fein's Mr Martin McGuinness, Mr Ford emerged from discussions with the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr John Reid, and said his party still needed assurances from other political leaders before it would re-designate.
He said: "At this stage it is not up to the Secretary of State. It is up to the other parties as to how we can resolve the situation. Other parties are well aware of the deadline. It is up to them to respond."
Dr Reid has until midnight tonight to judge whether it is possible for the Northern Ireland Assembly to elect new first and deputy first ministers following the failure to get Mr Trimble and the SDLP’s Mr Mark Durkan elected.
Earlier today Mr Ford was engaged in a round of telephone calls with the two governments, leaders of the Ulster Unionist Party and the SDLP.
An Alliance party source said earlier today: "One of our main concerns is if we redesignate to become unionists, under current Assembly procedures we will remain under that label until the next Stormont election.
"What we are trying to establish is whether it is possible to redesignate for the First and Deputy First Ministers vote and then change back to our proper designation as a non-aligned party".