The British Government was expected today to face calls to urgently change the Northern Ireland Assembly’s voting system in a bid to avert a crisis in the peace process in 15 months’ time.

The British Government is setting aside the views of the victims of terrorist violence in Northern Ireland by considering ways of enabling ‘‘on-the-run’’ paramilitaries to return without facing the law, it was claimed today.

Rebel Ulster Unionist MLA Peter Weir said he had put the interests of the country ahead of his party's by voting against Mr Trimble.

Anti-agreement assembly member Peter Weir tonight won his bid for reinstatement to the Ulster Unionist Party.