The British government last night overcame Conservative and Unionist opposition and saved its controversial legislation enabling members of the Oireachtas to sit in the Northern Ireland Assembly and at Westminster, reports Frank Millar, London Editor.
In the dying hours of the present parliamentary session, Labour managed to reverse last week's defeat in the House of Lords, reinstating Clause 1 of the Disqualification Bill by 158 votes to 136.
The government victory was a blow to Mr David Trimble after earlier speculation that ministers might be content to lose the controversial proposal as a concession to the Ulster Unionist leader.
