Spring rejects 'unhelpful' criticism

Dick Spring, the Irish Deputy Prime Minister, said a personal attack on him by David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, was "unhelpful" for the peace process. In an interview Mr Trimble had called him "a jumped- up little man ... who should be given his marching orders".

Mr Spring told Irish radio: "We should be looking for ... the language of accommodation, rather than hurling invective." He added: "You don't have to like each other to reach agreement."