Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Wed 06 Jun 2007Brown to defer first visit to North as British PMA first visit to Northern Ireland by Gordon Brown as the new British prime minister that was pencilled in for Friday week in Belfast is now likely to be postponed, according to official sources.Mr Brown was next week due to attend a meeting of the British-Irish Council, which along with the North-South Ministerial Council, is one of the key institutions of the Belfast Agreement. First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley was particularly anxious that Mr Brown should be present for the British-Irish gathering which Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and senior Irish Ministers are also expected to attend.