UUP rebels face party wrath

The Ulster Unionist Party is to take disciplinary action against two members who voted against party leader David Trimble.

Anti-Good Friday Agreement Unionists had wanted to hold a special gathering of the Ulster Unionist Council.

But party chairman James Cooper confirmed that at a meeting of UUP officers the motion to hold the special meeting was rejected.

He also announced: "The officers considered the fact that Pauline Armitage MLA and Peter Weir MLA had voted against the nomination of the leader as First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The officers determined to immediately refer this matter to the disciplinary committee of the party under Rule 19 (1) of the party rules."

Ulster unionists leader David Trimble earlier failed in his bid to become First Minister when he fell just one vote short of the majority of unionists required to return him to the power sharing executive.

Trimble had succeeded in fulfilling the other criteria of a majority of nationalists.