MP 'alarmed' at UVF talks

Loyalists favour a "winner takes all" approach to UUP conflict

A senior Ulster Unionist MP has expressed alarm that private meetings have been taking place between prominent members of his party and senior loyalist paramilitaries.

Jeffrey Donaldson was speaking a day after it emerged that the Ulster Volunteer Force has been involved in talks with the UUP and has now called for Ulster Unionists to end their divisions.

A meeting of the UUP's 900-strong ruling council is due to debate internal divisions this weekend when they will decide on any disciplinary action against three MPs who resigned the party whip at Westminster.

Attempts to suspend Martin Smyth, David Burnside and Jeffrey Donaldson from the UUP were dismissed by a High Court judge because it contravened party rules.

The UUP leader, David Trimble, has said the three rebel MPs were threatening to split the party.

On Thursday, Mr Donaldson told BBC Radio Ulster that party members should have been told about the UVF meetings.

"As a party officer, I am alarmed that we have not been advised that these talks with a paramilitary organisation were going on," the Lagan Valley MP said.

"I don't know the purpose of the talks. I hope that we will be briefed in due course as to what has been exactly going on."

Jeffrey Donaldson: One of three rebel MPs facing disciplinary action

Mr Donaldson pointed out that the UVF had been involved in a feud with rival paramilitary group, the Ulster Defence Association, which had resulted in a number of people being murdered.

He added: "It is a bit rich of the UVF leadership...to be pointing the finger at us and talking about healing splits when there's talk of further problems within paramilitary loyalism and tensions between them."

It is understood the meetings with paramilitaries were started to take soundings from the loyalist community.

One loyalist leader told the BBC he favoured a "winner takes all" outcome to the current struggle going on inside the Ulster Unionist Party.

The leader of the UVF, who has been involved in the contacts, said if there was to be another UUP showdown on policy and leadership, then all sides should agree to accept the outcome.

The leader of the Progressive Unionist Party, which is aligned to the UVF, said he knew of the continuing meetings.

"The UVF leadership is saying as loudly as it can: 'When you sort yourselves out, honour the democratic outcome and stop this constant running back and forward," said David Ervine.

Further talks

Former north Belfast UUP Assemblyman Fred Cobain is one of the unionists still in contact with the paramilitaries.

He said he was reminding them during the talks of their responsibilities on decommissioning and on bringing about an end to paramilitary activity.

Another leading UUP member who has been talking to the loyalists is David Trimble's adviser, David McNarry.

It is understood that party members will have further talks with paramilitary leaders in both the UVF and the Ulster Defence Association after Saturday's meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council.