Westminster Lowdown - with Colin Breed M.P.

What hope for the Northern Ireland Assembly?

On Tuesday, the House of Commons spent some 10 hours in a debate about the Northern Ireland Bill.

This would create the devolved Assembly in Belfast which was the primary objective of the so-called Good Friday Agreement.

For over 15 months, negotiations have dealt painstakingly with every issue except the one major obstacle, that of decommissioning.

Both Gerry Adams and David Trimble have painted themselves into an impossible corner, one from which neither of them could seemingly move an inch.

Both sides have made compromises, but both believe they have moved further than the other.

Both claim different interpretation of the original agreement and are left with no room for manoeuvre.

I believe the vast majority of MPs recognise the Government could not have done more to broker a peace and that, at this stage, only they could force the issue.

The Bill passed through the Commons very late at night.

It will now go through the Lords on a fast track procedure.

It is a great pity that some Conservative MPs feel inclined to vote against the Bill.

All through the troubles the House has maintained a united approach and this should have continued to send the right message to the politicians of Northern Ireland.

At the end of the day, it is all about trust, a commodity in short supply in Irish politics, with neither side willing to trust the other.

I very much hope that the strained peace will persist, that the assembly will commence and that arms will start to be decommissioned.

I am sure that the vast majority of people on both sides of the border want that.

Now, it is up to their political leaders to deliver.