Stormont crisis: DUP puts ultimatum to Villiers

Details of the DUP ultimatum put to the secretary of state have not been revealed

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has put an ultimatum to the secretary of state over the latest political crisis, party sources have told the BBC.

It comes as talks continue at Stormont to try to resolve the situation.

It was sparked by the murder of a former IRA member, Kevin McGuigan Sr, in August.

On Wednesday, well-known republican and northern chairman of Sinn Féin Bobby Storey was one of three men arrested over the murder.

The talks are taking place without the Ulster Unionists, who said they would not take part unless the status of the Provisional IRA is resolved.

The UUP said it would not return to the talks unless the IRA issue was top of the agenda.

Ultimatum

DUP leader Peter Robinson has said his party would continue to talk, but warned that if devolution collapsed it could be a decade before it returned.

The first minister has held talks with the Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers but details of the ultimatum have not been made public.

BBC News NI Political Editor Mark Devenport said it probably concerns the suspension or adjournment of Stormont.

He said there was no doubt the arrests were having "a very destabilising effect on the talks".

Police have said they believe IRA members were involved in the shooting of Kevin McGuigan.

Sinn Féin has denied this and maintains the Provisional IRA no longer exists.

North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds said the situation in Northern Ireland was "grave".

Prime Minister David Cameron urged all the Northern Ireland political parties to work together, as they did during the peace process

"We have now reached tipping point. Indeed in my view, we have gone beyond the tipping point. We are in a very grave state as far as devolution is concerned," he said.

Prime Minister David Cameron has appealed to keep the "spirit" of the peace process alive in dealing with the current political crisis at Stormont.

UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said his party had walked out because talks on paramilitary activity could not be "lumped in with the other issues".

Mike Nesbitt said the Ulster Unionists would not return to the talks until the status of the Provisional IRA was resolved

He said if others, including the chief constable and secretary of state, acknowledge "the IRA exists... why can't Sinn Fein say that?"

Mr Nesbitt said it would be a big step if Sinn Féin were to make such an acknowledgement and help secure his party's commitment to the talks.

Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy said the party had "fulfilled every obligation under the peace process".

"We're quite clear that the IRA has left the stage," he said.

"We're quite happy to look at the whole issue of armed groups. There are a lot of armed groups in society, and we're quite happy to look at what the parties can collectively do about armed groups.

'Stunt politics'

"If unionism wishes to seize on an issue around the tragic killings of two men to try to upend the institutions for some electoral advantage, then there's not much we can do about that."

DUP Minister Arlene Foster said the talks were not all about Mr Nesbitt.

Arlene Foster said they would deal with the issues at hand if the Ulster Unionist Party was not prepared to

"[The UUP] reminds me of a self-indulgent child. You know what you should do with a self-indulgent child? You should not indulge them. You should get on with the business at hand," she said.

"If the Ulster Unionists aren't prepared to deal with the issues at hand and face republicans and deal with them then the Democratic Unionist Party will."

Despite the UUP's decision, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said the tone of Tuesday's opening meeting was "genuinely constructive".