Three candidates bidding to succeed David Trimble as Ulster Unionist leader were facing a packed meeting of their ruling council in Belfast this evening to pitch their vision for the party.

Ulster Unionists will today decide who will take over from David Trimble as the party recovers from heavy election losses.

Former British Army major Alan McFarland today entered the race to become leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

A former Stormont minister was today preparing to enter the race for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party.

SYLVIA HERMON last night dramatically withdrew from the race to succeed David Trimble as the leader of the Ulster Unionists.

Senior figures in the Ulster Unionists are looking at plans for a corporate leadership of the party in the wake of David Trimble’s resignation, it was claimed today.

THE Ulster Unionist Party’s last remaining MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon, yesterday said she is considering contesting the party leadership.

Ulster Unionists were today contemplating life without David Trimble as leader.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair tonight paid warm tribute to David Trimble after he announced he was resigning as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

David Trimble is resigning as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

The Orange Order has voted to sever its links with the Ulster Unionist Party.

David Trimble’s Ulster Unionist and Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists should put their differences aside and form a Westminster coalition, it was claimed tonight.

Ulster Unionists want the party to unite in the run-up to this June’s European Parliament elections, the party’s candidate Jim Nicholson claimed today.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble today challenged his internal critics to accept victory in a leadership contest.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble will continue to face calls to stand down even if he wins today’s leadership battle, South Antrim MP David Burnside claimed today.

Ulster Unionists were preparing today to vote on whether David Trimble should remain as their leader.

An Ulster Unionist who is bidding to oust David Trimble from the party leadership urged 13 Assembly members today to back his challenge.

David Trimble is to face a leadership challenge in eight days, it emerged today.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble will face a leadership challenge if he refuses to stand down within days, he was warned tonight.

Former Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson was expected today to confirm his defection to the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble should quit while the going is good, his main rival the Rev Ian Paisley claimed today.

DEMOCRATIC Unionist leader Ian Paisley last night pledged to play a positive and constructive role in talks on the political future of Northern Ireland.

Ian Paisley tonight pledged to play a positive and constructive role in talks on the political future of Northern Ireland.

Anti-agreement Ulster Unionist Jeffrey Donaldson was today threatened with a special council meeting to call for his resignation.

Supporters of Ulster unionist leader David Trimble were bracing themselves today for the release of a series of commitments by anti-Good Friday Agreement members of his party standing in the Northern Ireland Assembly election.

The head of the international decommissioning body in Belfast, General John de Chastelain, was due to face questions from hardline unionists today about the latest act of IRA disarmament.

It was all set to go so smoothly, the day had been choreographed, the sequence of events was set down – but as so often in Northern Ireland things tonight didn’t turn out as planned.

The IRA has issued a statement - its second today - confirming that it has put more of its weapons beyond use.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble today called on republicans to signal they are planning to end all involvement in paramilitary activity.

The Ulster Unionist Party today decided to keep on hold its disciplinary action against three rebel MPs.

Ulster Unionist Party officers were today debating whether to pursue disciplinary action against three rebel MPs.

THE Government is to press for Assembly elections to be held in the North by November, but accepts that they may not happen until the New Year.

David Trimble and Gerry Adams have held their first face-to-face talks since the Ulster Unionist Council backed action against three rebel MPs, it emerged today.

The British government must inject fresh momentum into Northern Ireland’s peace process by setting a firm date for Assembly elections, Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness said today.

The IRA must accept that its days as an active paramilitary force are at an end, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said tonight.

ULSTER UNIONIST leader David Trimble celebrated another resounding victory over his party’s three rebel member on Saturday night, but the dissidents are intent on continued defiance.

Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble has survived, yet again, in the face of another major heave against his leadership, but unionism remains in a brittle condition.

As David Trimble and his supporters celebrated their latest Ulster Unionist Council triumph, opinion in the party remained divided over its significance today.

In reaction to today’s decision by a majority of the UUP Council to back the Trimble amendment, SDLP leader, Mark Durkan, said the political process had come to a standstill.

The withdrawal of disciplinary action against three rebel Ulster Unionist MPs could unite the party, they claimed today.

TENSIONS within David Trimble’s Ulster Unionist Party were mounting tonight as rival sides began a last-minute bid for votes ahead of a ruling council showdown.

Tensions within David Trimble’s Ulster Unionist Party were mounting tonight as rival sides began a last-minute bid for votes ahead of a ruling council showdown.

A supporter of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble claimed today the independent body for the Good Friday Agreement was “fatally flawed”.

Rival wings of the Ulster Unionist Party tonight urged each other to call a halt to their feud and force the cancellation of this weekend’s crucial ruling council meeting.