A fierce political storm over the RUC name change was brewing at Westminster last night as the British government delayed its planned announcement of the precise title for Northern Ireland's new police service, apparently under pressure from Dublin.
At its core is an emerging agreement between the British government and the Ulster Unionist leadership on a formula establishing "The Police Service of Northern Ireland" as the working title of the new force - but "incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary" to underline the Patten Commission's insistence that the RUC is not being disbanded.
The Ulster Unionist MP, Mr Ken Maginnis, furiously condemned the Irish Government's intervention, describing it as "unreasonable and unreasoning". And he implicitly accused Irish ministers of reneging on a prior agreement. It is understood British ministers last Tuesday confirmed their intention to table an amendment to the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill broadly in line with that already proposed by Mr Maginnis.
The Minister of State, Mr Adam Ingram, reportedly planned to publish the amendment on Tuesday night, or yesterday, ahead of today's final sitting of the Commons standing committee on the Bill.
But after intensive discussions with Dublin and, it is believed, the SDLP, the decision was taken to delay an announcement at least until the Report Stage of the Bill scheduled for next Tuesday.
After consulting Mr David Trimble at the Commons yesterday, Mr Maginnis signalled his determination to "force the issue" during today's sitting of the Committee.
If Mr Maginnis refuses to co-operate, by withdrawing his amendment to enable further government consideration of the issue, Mr Ingram could be faced with the embarrassing task of voting down an amendment similar in terms to that which on Tuesday he had intended to introduce.
That would represent a considerable blow to the Ulster Unionist leadership, given that the government is also set to reject a less-compromising Conservative proposal that the new name be "The Police Service of Northern Ireland - the Royal Ulster Constabulary" - and a separate proposal from Conservative MP, Mr Andrew Hunter, and Ulster Unionist Mr William Thompson that there be no change in name at all.
The SDLP has tabled a contrary amendment, consistent with Patten, proposing that "the Royal Ulster Constabulary shall be known instead as the Police Service of Northern Ireland".
A number of political and independent legal sources had previously taken the view that Mr Maginnis's amendment had no practical consequence, save that "incorporation" in fact confirmed the disappearance of the RUC's `Royal' title.
However, it appears a legal question mark now hangs over Mr Maginnis's proposal that the force be "styled" by its new title for operational purposes.
Mr Maginnis's amendment reads: "(1) The body of constables known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary shall continue in being as the Police Service of Northern Ireland (incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary). (2) The body of constables referred to in (1) above shall be styled for operational purposes the `Police Service of Northern Ireland'."