The Northern Ireland Secretary yesterday called on all the parties in the peace process to make progress as a majority of Catholics and Protestants called on the IRA to hand over their weapons, writes Catherine MacLeod.
And as David Trimble, the leader of the Ulster Unionists, increasingly came under pressure from hardline unionists, there was frantic political activity to find a breakthrough in the negotiations.
A Downing Street source indicated that the Prime Minister was willing to go to Northern Ireland if it was necessary, but last night Downing Street was steering away from any doom and gloom scenario.
Dr Mo Mowlam held an intensive round of talks with party leaders in Belfast. She told representatives of the Alliance Party, Progressive Unionists and Women's Coalition that it was vital to get all parties round the table to try to find a way forward.
Her meetings came after a poll in the Belfast Telegraph revealed that a majority of people in Northern Ireland wanted the IRA to hand over their guns immediately. Significantly, the poll disclosed that over half of Sinn Fein's supporters wanted weapons handed over now.
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