“the ball is in Sinn Féin’s court”

Interesting to note that the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, told the NI Affairs Committee that he had had discussions with Sinn Féin about what would be required for them to take their seats in Parliament.  And, as the BBC reports

The Secretary of State has said that he has asked Sinn Fein for an alternative text to the oath of allegiance to allow their MPs to sit in Westminster.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has previously said that a change to the oath would be irrelevant.  But there was some kite-flying earlier this year…

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