“make no mistake there is nervousness within the Sinn Fein ranks.”

On his blog, UTV’s Ken Reid tells us that on Thursday the Northern Ireland Executive will probably discuss the policing and justice legislation they saw at the last meeting. And, despite Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness trying to suggest that he might turn down whatever offer Gordon Brown makes in September – which does look likely to be a key time – Ken cautions

It all seems to be going smoothly but make no mistake there is nervousness within the Sinn Fein ranks. If the devolution does not take place by the end of the year there are all the necessary ingredients for a full scale crisis.

Well, they might need another distraction by then.. Update As Mark Devenport reports – “The latest moves may answer the question about where justice powers will be wielded from, but we still do not know when it will happen.” Whilst from the NI Secretary of State – “It is for the local politicians to decide when the time is right to do that, but the completion of devolution would be the best signal to send out to those opposed to democracy and stability in Northern Ireland.” If those parties agree that “the time is right”. But Sinn Féin deliberately destabilising the NI Executive for their own party political reasons, again, would send out what message? Adds BBC report after the NI Executive meeting.

Pete Baker