More sound and fury..

As we noted at the time, the lack of detail from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [*ahem* – Ed.] and Wales, Peter Hain, regarding the re-arrest of convicted IRA bomber Sean Kelly, was always going to provide an opportunity for sound and fury from certain quarters.. and so it continues..“Peter Hain has only been here for a very short time and he has failed the test” – Gerry Adams.. but there was an interesting report in the Sunday Life stating that the UUP’s sole MP, Sylvia Hermon has tabled questions, in the Commons presumably, to Peter Hain on the issue.From the Sunday Life report –

North Down MP Sylvia Hermon has tabled a series of questions to the Secretary of State asking him if his officials had been in touch with Sinn Fein before Kelly’s arrest.

Lady Sylvia is asking Peter Hain if he is aware of “meetings or communications that took place, prior to Kelly’s arrest, between representatives of his office or department with members of the PSNI, representatives of any foreign government, or representatives of any political party which does not have its headquarters within the United Kingdom.”

Lady Hermon also asks Hain if discussions were held with any political party with headquarters within the UK, or any political parties currently elected to the Assembly.

And she has asked him to indicate if “members of any political party, or those likely to communicate with any political party, had prior knowledge of his intention to authorise the re-arrest of Kelly”.

According to the report, “An NIO spokesman said Lady Hermon’s questions would be answered in due course.”

Pete Baker