Nationalists in the North were at each other's throats today after the SDLP's Eddie McGrady suggested devolved government could be restored without Sinn Fein involvement.

"The democratic process must not be held to account by the decisions of the IRA Army Council,"said McGrady.

However Sinn Fein's Catriona Ruane,who is contesting Mr McGrady's seat in the next Westminster election,accused Mr McGrady of being prepared to abandon the politics of inclusivity esposed by former SDLP leader John Hume.
"Many nationalists will be horrified that Mr McGrady is prepared to contemplate the politics of discrimination and exclusion,"said Ms Ruane.

But Mr McGrady hit back:"I totally subscribe to the principle of inclusivity but we have a situation whereby people do not want to conform to requirements of democracy."

"If people want to stay out of something because they don't want to accept the rules of the game then that's their decision,"added McGrady.
McGrady went on to say that if Sinn Fein broke off from the IRA it would change the political landscape.

"They don't seem prepared to do that.They talk about their political mandate but people didn't mandate them to encourage or protect the criminal activities carried out by the IRA,"he said.

Well I for one applaud Mr McGrady.Contrary to the rubbish spewed out by Catriona Ruane,the only group Mr McGrady is suggesting should be excluded is the Provisional IRA.
I just wish the leader of the SDLP could be as hard-hitting and straight-talking as Mr McGrady.
Maybe McGrady is someone the SDLP should think about as a future leader?
I also hope that nationalists in the North do not choose to vote for Ms Ruane over Mr McGrady as Ruane,unlike McGrady,hasn't got a clue about what is best for nationalism!