Unionist rebels 'should resign'

Three Ulster Unionist MPs quit the party whip at Westminster

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has said three sceptical MPs who are defying his authority should resign from the party.

Party president the Reverend Martin Smyth, Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson and South Antrim MP David Burnside are quitting the party's parliamentary whip with immediate effect, saying the leadership had failed to address party concerns.

The move is designed to increase pressure on Ulster Unionist leader Mr Trimble by refusing to endorse his policy on the recent British-Irish joint declaration.

Mr Trimble said that despite the "clear result" in last week's Ulster Unionist Council meeting, the three MPs had made it clear they did not accept its decision.

"It's a slap in the face for every delegate to the Ulster Unionist Council," he said.

Mr Trimble said resignation would be the principled course of action.

"Having made it clear they don't accept the decisions of the council, that they don't agree with the leadership, that they are attacking everything we have done over the past half dozen years, I would have thought it's fairly clear what they should be doing," he said.

Jeffrey Donaldson: Resigned party whip

He said the positions of Mr Smyth as party president and Mr Donaldson as one of its vice presidents were "wholly untenable".

Mr Burnside earlier challenged Mr Trimble to change Ulster Unionist policy or resign as party leader.

He pointed out that half of the parliamentary party had resigned the whip, adding that unless Mr Trimble changed his policy he should resign as leader.

"Unless there is a complete about-face by the leadership...... I believe the leadership of David Trimble is untenable," he said.

We must see to it that unionism is never again represented at the negotiating table in a weak and dysfunctional state

Statement from three MPs

The three MPs said they would begin talks with the DUP and UK Unionist Party to adopt a united front against the joint declaration and press for fresh negotiations on the way forward.

At a news conference on Monday, they said: "It is clear that the leadership of our party does not represent, and cannot speak for, a growing majority of unionists and has comprehensively failed to address their concerns.

"These people need a voice and we will work with other unionists of a like mind in parliament to ensure that their views are properly represented and their concerns adequately addressed."

In a challenge to Mr Trimble, they added: "We must see to it that unionism is never again represented at the negotiating table in a weak and dysfunctional state."

Mr Donaldson had been considering his future after he narrowly lost a crucial vote by his party's 900-strong ruling council last Monday.

The hardline MP, who has been in the party for more than 20 years, was invited to join the hardline anti-Agreement Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

'Contempt shown'

Mr Donaldson said he had considered leaving the party but believed taking action at Westminster was in the wider interests of unionism.

The UUP assembly party said it was a "matter of deep regret" that the three MPs could not accept party policy and had shown "only contempt" for delegates at the ruling council meeting.

"The agreed aim of the UUP is to bring about a resolution of our historic conflict on a democratic basis," the statement said.

It's a slap in the face for every delegate to the Ulster Unionist Council

David Trimble
Ulster Unionist leader

"That task is made all the harder when fellow Ulster Unionists fail to uphold democratic decisions."

It stressed that the assembly party had not accepted the joint declaration.

DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley said the move by the three MPs was a "gesture in the right direction", but would not satisfy many unionists.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said the three MPs were attempting to form an anti-Agreement axis.

Speaking after a meeting with Secretary of State Paul Murphy, he said Mr Trimble should realise that working with other pro-Agreement parties was the only way forward.

Last Monday, Mr Trimble narrowly fended off a challenge from party rebels, led by Mr Donaldson, who wanted the party to reject the recent British and Irish joint declaration.

Mr Trimble, who criticised some elements of the declaration, whilst noting that the party had not accepted the document as a whole, secured 54% of the vote. Mr Donaldson received 46%.

Mr Trimble appealed to Mr Donaldson and his supporters to stay in the party saying any differences "could be ironed out".

Last month's joint declaration outlined plans to reduce troop numbers to 5,000 as part of an attempt to move the Northern Ireland political process forward.

The joint declaration included five annexes dealing with security normalisation, policing and justice, human rights and equality, on-the-run paramilitaries and mechanisms to verify and monitor any deal.

Northern Ireland's devolved administration was suspended last October amid allegations of IRA intelligence gathering in the Stormont government.

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The joint declaration between British and Irish Governments
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