By Martina Purdy BBC NI political correspondent

SDLP leader Mark Durkan has said Prime Minister Tony Blair told him there were grounds to exclude Sinn Fein from Northern Ireland's power-sharing government instead of suspending devolution.

In an exclusive interview with BBC Radio Ulster's Inside Politics programme, Mr Durkan alleges that Mr Blair also tried in vain to persuade him to back a motion to exclude Sinn Fein.

The allegations from Mr Durkan come just a few weeks after the government suspended power-sharing in the wake of unionist threats to quit government, and allegations of IRA spying within the Northern Ireland Office.

Rather than suspend and "punish" all the parties, the government toyed with the option of having the secretary of state direct the assembly to debate a motion to exclude Sinn Fein on the grounds it had breached democratic principles.

Tony Blair suggested expelling Sinn Fein, Mark Durkan said

For such a motion to succeed, it would have required the backing of the SDLP.

According to its leader, he met Tony Blair in Downing Street and the prime minister raised the prospect of an exclusion motion.

Mr Durkan told the BBC: "Tony Blair asked us in Downing Street if we would support an exclusion motion.

"We asked Tony Blair if he would be tabling an exclusion motion. He said: I asked you first."

Mr Durkan went on: "We asked Tony Blair if he thought there was a basis whether there were grounds for exclusion.

"He said he thought there were grounds for an exclusion motion but that there was no point in putting it unless the SDLP were prepared to support it."

The SDLP leader said he then told the prime minister that he wasn't in possession of "any evidence" Downing Street purported to have to justify exclusion.

'Courage'

Mr Durkan also said his party's policy was one of inclusive politics.

And he rejected any suggestion that his decision was based on electoral considerations.

He pointed out his party had shown courage in breaking away from Sinn Fein on the policing issue.

A spokesman for the prime minister, when asked to comment on Mr Durkan's claims said: "It's clear an exclusion motion wouldn't be supported by the SDLP and Downing Street's view is that it's much more important to focus on the future than the past."

Clearly, Downing Street is determined not to get involved in a verbal slanging match with the SDLP.

Mr Durkan was also asked on Inside Politics whether he came under pressure from the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to exclude Sinn Fein.

He said the issue wasn't raised in discussions with the Irish Government.

Murphy talks

Mr Durkan's revelation came after a delegation from his party met Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy on Friday as part of a series of talks aimed at ending the current crisis.

Mr Murphy also met the Ulster Unionist Party, Alliance Party and anti-Agreement unionists on Friday.

He is trying to pave the way for a review of the implementation of the Agreement on which devolution was based and find a basis on which the institutions could be restored.

But the parties are very divided on how the government should proceed.

On Thursday after meeting Mr Murphy, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams accused the government of not having a plan for resolving the current crisis.

The latest development comes as the SDLP's annual conference starts in Armagh.

The party's deputy leader Brid Rodgers is to address delegates on Friday night. Mr Durkan is to make his main speech on Saturday.

Inside Politics will be broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster at 1310 GMT on Saturday.