Loyalists seek help to make UDA purely political

LOYALISTS urged the British government yesterday to work with them to take the Ulster Defence Association down a purely political path.

Belfast councillor Frank McCoubrey of the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG) made the appeal following Saturday’s declaration from the UDA of a 12-month ceasefire.

Mr McCoubrey also said the UPRG was willing to enter into talks with the Government about how it could help to steer the UDA away from paramilitarism.