SINN FEIN president Gerry Adams said Westminster was “part of the problem” yesterday ahead of talks on forming a new Northern Ireland executive.

Britain’s Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire was set to meet party leaders in a bid to hammer out a deal on a new governing coalition after last Thursday’s snap election failed to break the deadlock in the Stormont assembly.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) remained the largest party, with 28 seats to Sinn Fein’s 27. But with the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) winning 12 seats and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) taking 10, neither the mainstream unionist or republican parties represented in the 90-member assembly can form a majority coalition outright.

Sinn Fein has ruled out a return to power-sharing with the DUP if former first minister Arlene Foster is reinstated while the inquiry into the £490-million renewable heat initiative white elephant scheme is ongoing.

The SDLP has also refused to work with Ms Foster until the scandal that brought down the previous government is resolved.

On the other hand, the DUP has insisted that Sinn Fein cannot dictate who it nominates to lead the party in any restored Stormont executive. If no government is formed in the next three weeks, then Northern Ireland could return to direct rule from Westminster.

Mr Adams, a member of the Irish Republic’s parliament, attacked Mr Brokenshire and British Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday for being “determined to repeat the mistakes of the past” and breaking past agreements aimed at stabilising the Stormont institutions.

“The approach of James Brokenshire and the British government is part of the problem. Without a fundamental change … there can be no progress.”

Mr Adams accused Westminster of seeking impunity for British soldiers and spies suspected of committing crimes during the Troubles.

Turning to the Irish government Mr Adams accused it of “turning a blind eye to the belligerent approach of the British government,” when it should be honouring its role as a “coequal guarantor of the Good Friday and other agreements.”