Rivals’ plan spells trouble for Trimble

ULSTER Unionist leader David Trimble was last night facing a fresh crisis as his Democratic Unionist rivals planned a recruitment drive aimed at starting an exodus from his party.

With Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson and two Assembly colleagues joining the Reverend Ian Paisley’s party after a five-year battle with Mr Trimble, it emerged the defection of 11 more Ulster Unionist councillors could help the DUP become the largest party in local government in Northern Ireland.

As his party colleagues celebrated the defections of Mr Donaldson, Arlene Foster and Norah Beare, Mr Paisley said he believed more Ulster Unionists would follow.

“I believe this is the beginning of large numbers of people who always voted Official Unionist who are now going to join us.

“I hope to shortly announce a recruiting drive across the province so we can enlarge our party and prepare for what is coming in the days of the negotiations,” the North Antrim MP said.

Mr Donaldson’s decision ensured the DUP will be the largest unionist party at Westminster. It also swelled the party’s share of Stormont seats to 33, extending its lead over the Ulster Unionists by nine.

Mr Donaldson, Mrs Foster and Miss Beare will also join the DUP’s negotiating team for a review of the Good Friday Agreement expected later this month also involving the Irish and British governments, the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP, Sinn Féin and other parties.

Mr Donaldson launched a hard-hitting attack on the Ulster Unionists, claiming Trimble and his former colleagues had abandoned core unionist principles.

He accused the Ulster Unionist leadership of “vindictiveness” towards the anti-Good Friday Agreement wing of the party.

“I am proud to be part of a team capable of providing leadership to the unionist community, not like the leadership of the party I left.

“Not like a leadership which has no bottom line, a leadership which does not know how to lead the unionist community.”

Senior Ulster Unionists, however, insisted the defections would enable their party to rebuild.

UUP chairman James Cooper denied the leadership had pursued a vendetta against the three Assembly members. He accused them of “cynically using the party machine” during the election to jump ship.