Donaldson says republicans need to decommission

After today's meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council, Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the onus was now on republicans to deliver on their decommissioning commitments and he claimed the party was united behind Mr Trimble’s strategy.

After today's meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council, MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the onus was now on republicans to deliver on their decommissioning commitments and he claimed the party was united behind Mr Trimble’s strategy.

The Lagan Valley MP said: ‘‘I think the party is prepared to go with the strategy of the moment and support David Trimble’s commitment to resign as First Minister in protest against the failure of the IRA to decommission and to bring this issue to a head.

‘‘It has to be brought to a head and we welcome the pressure that is now being applied to republicans - albeit belatedly by the Irish government and by the SDLP in particular.

‘‘I believe that if we don’t secure decommissioning, then we will meet again in the autumn to take stock, to review where the party goes with this process. I think that is important not just for the party but for Northern Ireland.

‘‘The IRA need to get the message their bluff has been called, it is time for them to deliver. If they don’t, they needn’t think they are going to hang around Stormont in ministerial office because we will not allow them to hold office if they don’t decommission.’’

South Antrim MP David Burnside re-emphasised that Ulster Unionists would not tolerate further concessions to nationalists and republicans on policing.

He declared: ‘‘That pain, that gain is over. That game is over. We have had enough.

‘‘Unionism will not be making any more concessions and if there are demands from within republicanism for further concessions on policing then this process will fall apart.’’