The former UDR man acknowledged that some would find his comment surprising but he said that it was "fair" that the nationalist party received the ministry.

Under the d'Hondt system whereby departments are allocated to parties based on their Assembly seats, the SDLP would be in line for Stormont's 12th ministry.

But under the Hillsborough agreement, the Justice Ministry will not be allocated under d'Hondt, but in a cross-community vote of the Assembly – which means the Alliance Party is favourite for the position.

"If the SDLP are technically in line for this job they should be the ones who get it," the south Armagh man said.

"Although I do not agree with the politics of the SDLP, I believe there would be an understanding there of how the IRA operate.

"Are we getting a system of government where every time something doesn't suit we concoct it to fit?

"I can't see why we should give it to the Alliance Party simply because they are meant to be neutral – I thought politics was about who had the biggest mandate."

However, despite his support for an SDLP Justice Minister, Mr Frazer made clear his opposition to devolving policing and justice at all.

He said that he was particularly concerned at the failure of the Hillsborough accord to address the Stormont definition of a victim, which treats dead terrorists, members of the security forces and civilians equally.

Yesterday, new SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie, who had been nominated by her party for the Justice Ministry, said that she was instead nominating Alban Maginness, a Belfast barrister, for the position.

"The proposed approach to appointing a Justice Minister is nothing short of a corruption of democracy," Ms Ritchie told reporters at Stormont.

"We will make our judgment on the Hillsborough arrangement when we know what is on the table and more importantly what is under the table."