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So back to Downing Street. At least today everyone walked through the front door, so I didn't have to lurk around the back to catch a glimpse of a politician scurrying away, as was the case with Gerry Adams on Tuesday.

Gordon Brown prefaced the meeting with a quick tour of the Number Ten back garden (the one where the IRA mortars landed and Gerry and Martin played with the Blair children).

Aware of the pool camera, the three principals avoided politics by talking about football (Ronaldo and Drogba's transfer prospects and Nani's skills). I am tempted to say that the days of "Never, never, never" have given way to "Nani, Nani,Nani", but our new First Minister is a Chelsea, not a Manchester United, fan. Gordon Brown spoke fondly of Avram Grant - perhaps feeling an instinctive sympathy for someone who wasn't appreciated after taking over from a flashy performer and then spent a long time nobly preparing for the sack.

The First and Deputy First then spent fifteen minutes in the Cabinet room, before the PM left them to it. Peter Robinson wants the talking to move now back home to Belfast, whilst Martin McGuinness defended starting the process in London. The DUP leader is also keen to involve other parties. He claims to have turned the tables on the PM by posing him some tough financial questions. Details are scarce but the future financing of policing and justice and the transfer of security bases like the Lisanelly barracks at Omagh are likely to have featured.

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