Impasse plunges Stormont into chaos

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The development comes as Prime Minister Gordon Brown is due to meet political parties for talks in Belfast on Tuesday.

It was hoped his arrival would coincide with confirmation that Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had made progress on the issues dividing them, but the scene now seems set for increased political tension.

The two parties are split on a range of issues and while the most serious is the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Assembly, their dispute also includes education reform, promotion of the Irish language and the future of the Maze prison site.

The Northern Ireland Executive has not met since June, but on Sunday senior Sinn Fein Assembly member John O'Dowd said his party was unlikely to agree to holding a meeting planned for Thursday because of insufficient progress in talks with the DUP.

"The final decision rests with the joint ministers of Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson, but in my opinion I do not believe there has been enough progress made towards partnership government for an Executive meeting this week," he said.

DUP representative Jeffrey Donaldson said his party leader and First Minister Peter Robinson had warned of serious consequences if the meeting did not proceed.

Mr Donaldson said: "He (Mr Robinson) stated very clearly if there is not a meeting on the September 18...if the meeting doesn't happen, government is going to be in crisis."

The two parties are the largest in Northern Ireland and they dominate the cabinet table, as well as sharing the joint office of First and Deputy First Minister.

An earlier threat of crisis in June was only avoided when the parties held talks in Downing Street and agreed to continue intensive negotiations at Stormont.