Call to end unionist row

Three Ulster Unionist MPs quit the party whip at Westminster

Senior Ulster Unionists have been urged to put an end to their "public squabbling" by a group of the party's assembly members.

Three of the six Ulster Unionist MPs - half the parliamentary party - have been suspended after their decision to quit the party whip at Westminster.

Jeffrey Donaldson, Martin Smyth and David Burnside can appeal the suspension move, but not until a hearing in mid-July.

A UUP disciplinary committee said that, under party rules, anyone suspended from membership ceased to be a member, and forfeited all the rights and privileges of party membership.

However, the group of assembly members including Danny Kennedy, Derek Hussey and Fred Cobain, say they are not happy with the decision to suspend the three rebel MPs.

Mr Kennedy said on Monday that the suspensions were "not helpful".

"I think the resignation of the party whip by senior parliamentary colleagues is also equally unhelpful," he said.

"We would like to see these issues resolved quickly for the best long-term interests of the party".

Pressure

The three MPs quit the whip in a move designed to increase pressure on Mr Trimble by refusing to endorse his policy on the recent British-Irish joint declaration.

Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist secretary Jim Rodgers said the party may face costly legal fees if the suspension of the three MPs was not lifted.

Mr Rodgers has called for an emergency meeting of the party officers to deal with what he feels is a conflict of interest over the disciplinary hearings.

We would like to see these issues resolved quickly for the best long-term interests of the party

Danny Kennedy
Ulster Unionist MLA

"I as a party officer have got a major responsibility to ensure that everything is done within the law and done correctly," he said.

On Sunday, former Ulster Unionist MP William Ross insisted the split in the ranks of the party was over policy rather than personalities.

The County Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge has threatened to withdraw from the Ulster Unionist Council if the joint declaration is not rejected.

On Saturday, party leader David Trimble called on the three rebel MPs to "draw back from the brink".

Mr Donaldson, the MP for Lagan Valley, has said he and the other two MPs would be taking legal advice.

Challenge

Earlier this month, 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 at a meeting of the party's ruling council. Mr Donaldson received 46%.

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.