Unionists back deal says Haass

Richard Haass has been meeting the NI secretary

A majority of unionists back the peace process despite the latest split in the ranks of the Ulster Unionist Party, US Special Envoy Richard Haass has said.

Ambassador Haass has been meeting the Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy and senior nationalist and unionist politicians in London.

He is due to hold talks with SDLP leader Mark Durkan on Friday.

In a BBC Radio Ulster interview, he said the differences with the Ulster Unionists must be "sorted out" but that the political process had to be pursued "as if there were no debate at all".

"I still think that there is still a unionist partner out there," he said.

Mr Haass refused to comment on the pending disciplinary action against three rebel Ulster Unionist MPs.

Meanwhile, a senior Orangeman says the organisation has become disillusioned with the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party.

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

Endorsed

It is also considering banning the Ulster Unionist Party from using its halls.

The move was agreed at a meeting of Derry's 11 district lodges and has been endorsed by the order's Grand Master, Robert Saulters.

Assistant Grand Master William Ross said members felt there was nothing for them in the joint declaration.

"They have now seen the joint declaration, and they've seen in that, a whole raft of concessions to Irish republicanism to get them off the hook," said the former UUP East Londonderry MP.

"There's nothing in it really for the unionist people at all, except some useless sanctions which, I think, could never work, and some money for the Ulster Scots Academy, which doesn't interest all that many people, at the end of the day."

On Thursday, senior Ulster Unionists decided to refer three rebel MPs to a disciplinary committee at an emergency meeting.

I think the actions taken by the three gentlemen on Monday have triggered a crisis within the party

David Trimble
Ulster Unionist

It followed the decision by Jeffrey Donaldson, David Burnside and the Reverend Martin Smyth to resign the party whip at Westminster.

The three MPs had also called for party leader David Trimble to change party policy or step down from the post.

In response, Mr Trimble said the so-called "gang of three" should quit the party.

The motion was passed by five votes in favour of the disciplinary committee with two voting against.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Trimble said it had not been a good week for unionism.

Committee

Mr Donaldson said he regretted the decision to refer them to a disciplinary committee.

He said the move against the three MPs was in effect a move against almost half the Ulster Unionist Party.

Mr Smyth and Mr Donaldson are facing a charge of failing to implement decisions of the Ulster Unionist Council, in their capacity as party officers.

All three MPs have been charged with breaking an undertaking which they signed when they stood for election to take the party whip, and with bringing the party into disrepute.

Any decision by the disciplinary committee to expel the three MPs would have to be ratified by the 110-strong Ulster Unionist executive.