UNIONIST parties maintained their boycott of talks on the crisis in the Stormont Executive yesterday, rejecting attempts by Britain to start dialogue.

Both the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) rejected a statement to Britain’s Parliament by London’s Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers.

Ms Villiers said “serious consideration” needed to be given to establishing a new body to monitor paramilitarism and the government will “actively consider” new ways of tackling organised crime.

DUP leader Peter Robinson characterised Ms Villers’s comments as a “holding statement,” insisting talks will be “delayed” until she provides further details, while UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said the statement had not moved things on.

Sinn Fein has branded the situation “farcical” and said talks should begin immediately, without preconditions, warning that if they fail to proceed the only alternative is a snap election.

The crisis threatening to collapse the mandatory power-sharing government stems from allegations that the IRA is still active and was behind last month’s murder of dissident republican Kevin McGuigan, supposedly in revenge for May’s shooting of Gerard “Jock” Davison.

Ms Villiers told Britain’s House of Commons the two “brutal” murders had brought into “sharp focus” the problems around the continued existence of paramilitary organisations.

But newly-appointed Labour shadow Northern Ireland secretary Vernon Coaker countered that a bipartisan approach was needed.

He pointed out that other problems needed to be resolved in Northern Ireland, including the legislative deadlock over welfare cuts forced on the country by Britain that had prevented a budget from being passed.