Robinson Faces Down DUP 'Division'

Senior DUP members have rejected claims some of the party's MLAs threatened to resign over a proposed policing and justice deal.

Deputy party leader Nigel Dodds said Mr Robinson has the DUP's "total support" after weeks of intensified negotiations with Sinn Fein centered on the transfer of further powers to Belfast.

However, Mr Dodds would not be drawn on reports 14 DUP Assembly members voted against the agreement during a secret ballot on Monday night.

It was reported the party Stormont group had backed the justice deal 60/40.

Further talks were held at Hillsborough Castle last night. It is not thought any discussion will take place today as the province's MPs and Secretary of State Shaun Woodward prepare to travel to Westminster for Northern Ireland Question Time.

It is believed dialogue between the DUP and Sinn Fein could continue until the end of this week.

Mr Dodds said supposed ructions within his party were merely "speculation and innuendo" generated by "some sections of the media".

He denied some Assembly members or MPs had threatened to resign.

Sinn Fein said it remains confident a deal can be done.

Yesterday republican Assemblyman Alex Maskey said: "Suffice to say that we fully understand that the people we all represent are very anxious that these institutions are stable, that they operate on the basis that everybody is an equal citizen and we do in here what we were elected to do."

Ulster Unionist Leader Sir Reg Empey has revealed Prime Minister Gordon Brown intends to call a snap Assembly election should local politicians fail to reach agreement on the current impasse, and the institutions collapse as a result.

(PR/GK)