Mr David Trimble and Mr Seamus Mallon have pledged to combat the DUP's boycott of the Northern Executive. After the first meeting of the reinstated Executive yesterday, the First and Deputy First Ministers insisted the DUP would not be allowed destroy the political process.
Mr Mallon and Mr Trimble have asked the two DUP ministers, Mr Peter Robinson and Mr Nigel Dodds, to a meeting on Monday to account for their decision not to sit in the Executive. Part of their counter-offensive may involve a legal challenge against the DUP's Executive abstentionist strategy. Although stressing that he did not "want to prejudge what are complex issues", Mr Trimble expressed concern that the DUP was "going to wage a guerrilla war within the system".
He said the DUP's tactic of taking its ministerial posts but refusing to accept collective cabinet responsibility could have legal and political ramifications that the sitting Executive would explore. Mr Trimble said that if the DUP executed its threat to "rotate" its ministers, the party would gain substantial financial benefit from repeated severance payments to its resigning ministers. The Executive would not allow this happen, he said. "We are determined to protect the integrity of government. Political stunts cannot be allowed to damage public services," he said.
Mr Mallon said the DUP was launching an attack against not only the UUP but on all of the parties to the Agreement. "That's not the sort of approach to take when you are trying to grapple with problems like ours. We're not going to allow roulette to be played with this administration," said Mr Mallon.
Mr Robinson said last night while he was prepared to meet Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon, he would not answer to "their beck and call". He would not meet them on Monday because he would be in London for Westminster business, he said.
He was dismissive about Mr Trimble's comments about severance pay. "We are not in the business of taking money we are not entitled to," he said. Meanwhile, the Executive discussed but failed to resolve the controversial flags issue. It is understood that discussions on the issue were heated, with Sinn Fein suggesting that both the Union Jack and the Tricolour be flown over government departments on designated flag-flying days, one of which is today. This was rejected by UUP Executive members. Today, the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth of England's coronation, is the first designated day since devolution was restored. The Union flag will not be hoisted over the two Sinn Fein departments, health and education, today as the Ministers, Mr Martin McGuinness and Ms Bairbre de Brun, have discretion on the issue.
Mr Peter Mandelson could, after consulting with the Assembly, insist on the Union flag being hoisted over these departments on designated days, but Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams said he believed the Northern Secretary would not counter the decision of the Sinn Fein ministers.
Mr Mallon said it would be the "acid test of the maturity" of the new government if it could agree on the flags issue but Mr Trimble was downbeat on the subject. He said it was unlikely either the Executive or Assembly would reach an agreement.
"If ministers proceed to act in a way which gives rise to more hurt and concern in the community, then obviously it's going to make it more difficult," he said. Meanwhile, the SDLP spokesman on policing, Mr Alex Attwood MLA, said yesterday the party had received a number of assurances about its concerns over possible dilution of the Patten proposals on police reform in the Police Bill.
The SDLP is tabling 44 amendments to the Bill, to be debated at Westminster next week, while Sinn Fein today will publish its own assessment, arguing that the Bill unacceptably modifies the Patten proposals. Mr Attwood said a senior SDLP delegation met Northern Secretary Mr Peter Mandelson for two-and-a-half hours yesterday. "We made progress on some issues but more progress needs to be made if we are to create a new police force that young nationalists will join," he said.