Leader considers party's accord stance

UDP leader Gary McMichael: "Fundamentally and irreversibly" pro-agreement

The leader of a fringe loyalist political party has said he may have to resign because the majority of its members now oppose the Good Friday Agreement.

Ulster Democratic Party leader Gary McMichael, whose party has links to the outlawed Ulster Defence Association, said he would have to consider his position if the party moved into the "no" camp.

According to internal sources, up to 75% of the party's membership now oppose the 1998 accord.

"If we take it to extremes and there would be in the future some reversal, absolute reversal, then as someone who is pro-agreement, fundamentally pro-agreement, irreversibly pro-agreement, I would have to consider whether I am the best person to argue the new policy.

He called on those who opposed the accord to present a plan for a "viable" alternative way forward.

Dissent widespread

He said internal opponents to the agreement had been challenged to present their way forward but had "singularily failed".

He denied there were moves to oust him as leader.

"There are people within the anti camp within the UDP who are trying to present that image."

He said the problems being experienced by his party were widespread through all pro-agreement unionist parties because of the implementation of the accord.

The party failed to get any of its candidates elected as members of Northern Ireland's Assembly but Mr McMichael was nominated to sit on the Civic Forum, a consultative body, by First Minister David Trimble.

Mr McMichael was also involved in the talks to broker a truce in a bloody feud between rival loyalist paramilitary groups in Belfast which claimed seven lives last year.