Tony Blair has warned Sinn Fein that it faces being excluded from the Northern Ireland peace process.

The prime minister's comments followed Wednesday's warning from the Ulster Unionists that they could walk away from the process following alleged IRA involvement in an attempted kidnap.

"What Sinn Fein have got to understand...[is] unless they are prepared to commit to exclusively peaceful means and carry out that commitment faithfully they can't be part of the government of Northern Ireland, they can't be part of the process," Blair said.

He also warned that there was no prospect of getting the Stormont power-sharing executive in place again until violnce ceases.

The prime minister said all terrorism had "got to stop", including training and targetting as well as other acts of violence.

"We are not going to be able to allow people to participate in the democratic process unless they abide by the rules of democracy," Blair added.

He also insisted there was still the "basis for a proper agreement".

And the prime minister deined the government was "pandering" to the IRA, pointing to the fact that devovled institutions are not functioning.