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Joint unionist front ramps up tensions

PARADE tensions heightened last night with the unionist leadership outlining its protest plans for the Twelfth weekend.

In a day of developments: n the 'combined unionist leadership' signed a pledge for peaceful protests and said all marches would pause for six minutes to mark the time it would take to pass Ardoyne

* the British government said it would consider the unionists' call for a commission of inquiry on parades

* it emerged that the YCV band, whose actions led to St Patrick's in Belfast becoming a new parading flashpoint, has reformed and will march past the church tomorrow n thousands of Orangemen will march past St Patrick's on the return leg of the parade tomorrow evening shortly before parishioners attend a vigil mass at 7pm.