A senior US politician has criticised the decision by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Dr Mo Mowlam, to delay the formation of the new executive. Mr Ben Gilman, chairman of the House International Relations Committee of the US Congress, said that the decision to delay "only avoids the inevitable decision on facing up once and for all to the `unionist veto' and the stranglehold which David Trimble and other unionist leaders have held over the peace process".