Trimble re-election delayed by 24 hours

David Trimble's re–election as First Minister of the Northern Ireland power sharing executive was delayed today as opponents launched a high court bid to block the appointment.

A vote to put him back into office was held up for 24 hours because of a tactic by anti–Good Friday agreement unionists.

At the same time the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party went to the High Court in a move to force the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Dr John Reid to call fresh elections.

It will be tomorrow at the earliest before the Assembly can decide to re–elect Mr Trimble as First Minister and incoming SDLP leader Mark Durkan as Deputy First Minister.

Three members of the non–sectarian Alliance party, including the leader David Ford, are to re–designate themselves as unionists which will guarantee Mr Trimble's re–election and thwart an attempt by hardliners to wreck the process.

In the Assembly chamber the Speaker, Lord Alderdice, confirmed that no vote would be taken today.

Reading from the petition he said: "We the undersigned lodge this petition of concern in respect of the Business Committee that there should be no election of First and Deputy First Minister.

"I have had this checked and it seems to me that it is in order."

Lord Alderdice also confirmed that the vote on the re–designation of Alliance members would also be delayed because of the petition.

Education Minister Martin McGuinness insisted it can be a good week for the peace process and he believed the pro–Agreement parties had "crossed the rubicon together".

The Sinn Fein MP for Mid Ulster said he was confident that the First Minister and Deputy First Minister would be elected in the next few days.

"This is a real opportunity to move forward and to give effect to the wishes of all the people of Ireland."