The North's two main unionist parties appeared to be on collision course at the next British general election after the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists confirmed they would contest a key Ulster Unionist seat.

A former Stormont minister was waiting today to see if his bid to run for Westminster's parliament will get the backing of colleagues in South Belfast.

The DUP leader Ian Paisley has said there will be a candidate from his party in the South Belfast constituency in the British general election, when the sitting UUP MP Martin Smyth resigns.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will decide on Friday whether to get directly re-involved with efforts to restore devolution to Northern Ireland, it was revealed today.

Loyalist and republican paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland are raking in an estimated £125m (€187.3m) a year from ‘Mafioso’ racketeering and extortion, it was claimed today.

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

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

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

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 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.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams today was flying to the US as Northern Ireland’s largest political party prepared for next month’s review of the Good Friday Agreement.

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.

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

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble says he will remain on as leader of the party, and seek re-election to the post at the party's AGM in March.

REBEL MP Jeffrey Donaldson last night quit the Ulster Unionist Party.

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

David Trimble’s Ulster Unionists were preparing today for a potentially explosive meeting of their executive amid rumours of fresh disciplinary moves against rebel MP Jeffrey Donaldson.

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.

Politicians in Northern Ireland were today anxiously waiting to learn if there will be moves over the next five days involving unionists and republicans to secure a pre-Christmas Assembly election.

Politicians in Northern Ireland were tonight anxiously waiting to learn if there will be moves over the next five days involving unionists and republicans to secure a pre-Christmas Assembly election.

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

Republicans must go further than mere gestures if the Northern Ireland peace process is to get back on track, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said today.

A fresh row appears to be brewing with the embattled Ulster Unionist Party ahead of its annual conference this weekend.

The three anti-agreement Ulster Unionist MPs who resigned the party whip in Westminster earlier this year have refused to overturn their decision.

Northern Ireland’s SDLP was today expected to vent its frustration over its exclusion from recent talks to revitalise the peace process during a meeting with the Government.

THE Irish and British governments last night stuck by their plan for reviving devolution in the North despite the Ulster Unionists rejecting it at a party meeting.

The British and Irish governments tonight stuck by their plan for reviving devolution in Northern Ireland despite the Ulster Unionists rejecting it at a party meeting.

The executive council of the Ulster Unionist Party is due to meet in Belfast later today to decide its policy in relation to the Irish-British declaration on implementing the Good Friday Agreement.

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy tonight insisted that a new monitoring body for the Good Friday Agreement and paramilitary ceasefires should provide enough confidence to revive the peace process.

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.

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 Democratic Unionist Party will take its campaign against the Good Friday Agreement on the road again, it emerged today.

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.

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”.

Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble has predicted that he will win the support of his party’s ruling council when it meets tomorrow.