Tom Griffin (London, The Green Ribbon): As Fair Deal predicted earlier this week, The DUP are driving a hard bargain over their position on 42 day detention. The Financial Times suggests that Gordon Brown is attempting to appease the party's 9 MPs by allowing Northern Ireland to retain £2.2 billion from the sale of public assets:
'Earlier this week Gregory Campbell, DUP MP for East Londonderry, told the FT he and his colleagues had not decided which way to vote. They are to discuss terror detention with Jacqui Smith, home secretary, within days. “If we remain undecided on how to vote on 42 days then the issue of bases could come into play. Are we prepared to negotiate? We haven’t ruled it in or out,” Mr Campbell said. But last night he made clear Mr Brown had not gone far enough to guarantee their loyalty. “It is a worthwhile offer but doesn’t address the issue of the military bases and doesn’t address our demands on the military bases,” Mr Campbell said.'
