Talks strategy like one of Baldrick's cunning plans: Ford

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 17th Jun 2004

ALLIANCE Leader David Ford has accused the British and Irish Governments' talks strategy of being comparable to one of Baldrick's 'cunning plans'.

The character from the 'Blackadder' comedy TV series was famous for his plans, which were so half-baked that they inevitably ended in disaster.

Mr Ford said: "The Governments are trying to breathe new life into the original Agreement with the two parties that did most to kill it off. Instead of trying to resurrect failed structures, the Governments should spend the summer working out how best to reform the Agreement for the long-term and admit that this is the only real option left.

"The Governments seem to be trying to hatch a cunning plan of Baldrick-like proportions to get the DUP and Sinn Fein working together, while pretending they are not. There were enough problems working the structures when the UUP and SDLP were in the top posts; there's no reason to believe that the existing mechanisms can possibly work with the DUP and Sinn Fein in charge.

"Continuing with the current strategy only risks making the structural problems with the institutions that have been exposed over the last six years even worse. Cunning plans might sound clever, but unless they involve all parties, they have a nasty habit of falling apart in the most embarrassing way possible."