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.

Unionists must guard themselves against a choreographed campaign to put Sinn Féin back in government, an Ulster Unionist MP claimed today.

More than £3m (€4.5m) has been seized in the first year of a new offensive against Northern Ireland’s crime and terror bosses.

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

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, will almost certainly face a leadership challenge if he refuses to stand down within days, a leading anti-Agreement member of his own party claimed today.

ULSTER UNIONIST leader David Trimble yesterday suffered a setback when almost half of his Northern Ireland Assembly group backed a letter querying whether he should stay at the party helm.

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

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble faced renewed pressure to resign today after his predecessor called for a change in the party’s management.

BELEAGUERED David Trimble last night faced the threat of a new leadership challenge without the support of his deputy after he was accused of losing the trust and confidence of his troubled and split Ulster Unionist Party.

Beleaguered David Trimble tonight faced the threat of a new leadership challenge without the support of his deputy after he was accused of losing the trust and confidence of his troubled and hopelessly split Ulster Unionist Party.

David Trimble today faced demands from MP David Burnside to step down as Ulster Unionist leader next month.

The anti-agreement Ulster Unionist David Burnside is expected to call for a leadership election within the party at Stormont today.

A SENIOR unionist yesterday urged ministers to “take on” Sinn Féin which he accused of being funded by profits of illegal terrorist and criminal activity.

Two rebel Ulster Unionist MPs tonight resumed the party whip after a seven-month dispute with their leadership.

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

Fresh talks have been launched to avoid a bitter split in David Trimble’s Ulster Unionist Party, it emerged today.

The Northern Ireland Assembly is costing £1.93m (€2.74m) a month to run - despite devolved government being suspended, Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy disclosed tonight.

ONE voter in South Antrim staked perhaps slightly too much on her vote, by leaving her wedding ring in the ballot box.

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.

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.

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.

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.

An Ulster Unionist MP today expressed cynicism about whether a proposed body for monitoring paramilitary ceasefires would have the guts to put Sinn Féin out of government over IRA activity.

Disciplinary action against three rebel Ulster Unionist MPs could wreck the party, it was warned today.

The Ulster Unionist Party's officer board is due to meet in Belfast tonight to discuss the latest moves by the anti-agreement wing to call a meeting of the party's ruling council.

A series of meetings between Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble and grassroots members of the party were dismissed as “a publicity stunt” by some of his critics today.

RIVAL wings of the Ulster Unionist Party were yesterday heading towards another bitter showdown.

Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson has claimed the UUP Officer Board's decision to proceed with a second disciplinary hearing against him and his two collegues has made matters worse.

THE bitterly divided camps in the Ulster Unionist Party are to have another showdown at a meeting later this week.

The bitterly divided camps in the Ulster Unionist Party are to have another showdown at a meeting later this week, it was announced today.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble is today preparing to fight a motion of no confidence in him in his own constituency as rival factions within the party continued to row over policy.

The Ulster Unionist Party unlawfully suspended three dissident MPs from the party for rebelling against the leadership, the High Court in Belfast ruled today.

David Trimble urged his three rebel Ulster Unionist MPs to “draw back from the brink” today as an internal row threatened to tear the party apart.

Hardline Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson announced today he was remaining in the party but resigning the whip in Westminister with immediate effect.

Calls for a public inquiry into allegations about the use of double agents by military intelligence were dismissed today by an Ulster Unionist MP.

Hardliners within the Ulster Unionist Party say they will oppose any proposal to devolve control over policing and the courts to a new power-sharing executive at Stormont.

Sinn Fein will not accept any sanctions as part of a deal to restore the power-sharing executive in Belfast, party president Gerry Adams warned tonight.

Ulster Unionists will not be prepared to consider a deal with Sinn Fein whatever peace commitments the IRA might make, it was claimed today.

The Ulster Unionist Party is believed to be furious this morning after an influential American think-tank criticised party leader David Trimble's approach to the peace process.

Devolution in Northern Ireland will only return if the nationalist SDLP is prepared to exclude Sinn Fein from power sharing, a hardline Ulster Unionist insisted today.