Belfast signals 'end to decades of strife'

The last piece of devolution to Northern Ireland was slotted into place in Belfast yesterday in a move hailed by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown as, "the final end to decades of strife".

The approval for the transfer of policing and justice powers from London to Belfast was achieved by a vote of 88-13 in the Northern Ireland Assembly, with only one party opposing the move.

The First Minister, Peter Robinson, said: "Throughout history there are times of challenge and defining moments. This is such a time. This is such a moment."

The breakthrough was the culmination of years of effort by the British Government, Dublin, Washington and local parties. But some of the shine was taken off the achievement by the fact that the vote, though decisive, was not unanimous and was preceded by days of political rancour.

At one point it had been widely assumed that the issue would go through on the nod, providing a much-needed display of unity for a coalition Administration which has had many disagreements within its ranks.

Instead the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), which holds the health portfolio and is the the third-largest party in the Assembly, argued the time was not right for the transfer.

It accused the two dominant parties, Sinn Fein and Robinson's Democratic Unionists, of operating "a two-party political carve-up".

The UUP had hoped to win concessions which included changes in education policy and an enhanced role for itself.

The party attracted little support for its stance and was pressed not just by the Obama Administration but by George W. Bush, who in a rare intervention called on Conservative leader David Cameron to persuade his allies to support devolution.

Cameron said the former President had stressed it was crucial for everyone to back devolution but added: "The one thing we cannot do is force people to vote a particular way. We have played a thoroughly constructive role, very, very supportive of what the Government wants to do and what we all want to do, which is to see devolution work properly."

- INDEPENDENT