New Stormont Clashes

Sinn Fein has criticised a speech by Peter Robinson, outlining proposed changes to Assembly voting rules.

Mr Robinson called for an end to vetoes, which can be exercised by either nationalist or unionist parties.

Vetoes allow larger parties in the Assembly to block policies or legislation they dispute.

The system has previously resulted in deadlock over a number of contentious issues.

Instead, Mr Robinson said all votes in the chambers should be cast on a cross-community basis rather than community designation.

He claimed the current system, which was designed under the Good Friday Agreement, "entrenches community division and hinders the development of normal politics".

Mr Robinson said there was no need to wait until 2015 to change the process, and suggested a 65% Assembly majority on votes would be more effective.

The impending devolution of policing and justice powers to the Assembly made the matter more pressing, Mr Robinson said.

Changes at the Executive table were also proposed, with an end to majority voting. Ministers would instead work towards unanimity.

The DUP First Minister's speech, delivered at the Ulster Hall yesterday, was not cleared by the Deputy First Minister's office. Mr Robinson said he was speaking as the Democratic Unionist leader.

Martin McGuinness compared Mr Robinson's stance to that taken by former UUP leader and First Minister David Trimble.

Mr McGuinness accused Mr Robinson, who had just returned from holidaying in Florida, of suffering from "sun stroke" and spending "too much time at Disneyland".

"Peter's proposals appear to be some attempt to create the conditions where other parties can gang up on Sinn Fein, that will not be allowed to happen," said the Sinn Fein minister.

"The propositions expressed by the DUP leader are fantasy politics."

The UUP said Mr Robinson is conscious of his party's poor performance at the European elections, where Sinn Fein topped the poll.

Ulster Unionist deputy leader Danny Kennedy claimed the DUP was afraid Sinn Fein would become the biggest party at Stormont following the next Assembly elections.

(PR/GK)