DUP fails to block Trimble vote

Hard-line unionists today launched another last-ditch bid to block the election of First and Deputy First Ministers to Northern Ireland’s power-sharing Government.

The Democrat Unionists lodged another petition of concern containing the signatures of 30 anti-Good Friday Agreement Assembly members with the Speaker in an attempt to delay the vote.

A spokesman for the Assembly Speaker Lord Alderdice said it was under consideration.

Anti-Agreement unionists succeeded yesterday in delaying the vote by 24 hours by deploying the same tactic.

However, pro-Agreement sources were today confident that their manoeuvre would not work a second time.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble and nationalist SDLP leader in waiting Mark Durkan are bidding to become First and Deputy First Ministers.