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| UUP to leave Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive has been plunged into crisis after the leader of the Ulster Unionists said the party should pull out of the devolved government at Stormont. | Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive has been plunged into crisis after the leader of the Ulster Unionists said the party should pull out of the devolved government at Stormont. |
| The UUP’s ruling executive is certain to endorse that recommendation at a meeting on Saturday. | The UUP’s ruling executive is certain to endorse that recommendation at a meeting on Saturday. |
| UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said it was time to pull out of the five-party ruling coalition in Belfast in protest at allegations of ongoing Provisional IRA (PIRA) activities – particularly the murder of ex-republican prisoner Kevin McGuigan earlier this month. | UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said it was time to pull out of the five-party ruling coalition in Belfast in protest at allegations of ongoing Provisional IRA (PIRA) activities – particularly the murder of ex-republican prisoner Kevin McGuigan earlier this month. |
| Related: PSNI: Provisional IRA leadership did not sanction Kevin McGuigan murder | Related: PSNI: Provisional IRA leadership did not sanction Kevin McGuigan murder |
| Nesbitt said there had been a “breakdown of trust” between Sinn Féin and unionists after the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, George Hamilton, said members of the PIRA are still active and some were involved in the McGuigan murder. | Nesbitt said there had been a “breakdown of trust” between Sinn Féin and unionists after the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, George Hamilton, said members of the PIRA are still active and some were involved in the McGuigan murder. |
| Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, accused the UUP of playing party politics. He tweeted: | Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, accused the UUP of playing party politics. He tweeted: |
| This decision by the UUP is more about inter Unionist rivalry than their & others feigned concern about our unequivocal commitment to #Peace | This decision by the UUP is more about inter Unionist rivalry than their & others feigned concern about our unequivocal commitment to #Peace |
| The UUP has one minister in the executive, Danny Kennedy, who is in charge of the region’s transport system. | The UUP has one minister in the executive, Danny Kennedy, who is in charge of the region’s transport system. |
| The party’s decision is bound to create huge internal pressure on the largest unionist force, the Democratic Unionist party, to pull out of the power-sharing administration with Sinn Féin and the other parties. This in turn would bring down the devolved regional government. | The party’s decision is bound to create huge internal pressure on the largest unionist force, the Democratic Unionist party, to pull out of the power-sharing administration with Sinn Féin and the other parties. This in turn would bring down the devolved regional government. |
| Unionists have warned that evidence of continued PIRA activities including murder would mark a breach of key moves to restore devolution back in 2005. They point to an IRA statement in 2005 that the organisation was disbanding as a military force – a key demand from unionist parties before they would go into regional government with Sinn Féin. | Unionists have warned that evidence of continued PIRA activities including murder would mark a breach of key moves to restore devolution back in 2005. They point to an IRA statement in 2005 that the organisation was disbanding as a military force – a key demand from unionist parties before they would go into regional government with Sinn Féin. |
| The Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, said on Sunday that the PIRA “had gone away”, while party colleagues have claimed that the current crisis over the McGuigan murder was being exploited for political gain by opponents north and south of the Irish border. | The Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, said on Sunday that the PIRA “had gone away”, while party colleagues have claimed that the current crisis over the McGuigan murder was being exploited for political gain by opponents north and south of the Irish border. |