Trimble fails to halt Ulster Unionists’ ruling body meeting

David Trimble tonight failed to halt a special meeting of his Ulster Unionists’ ruling body called by hardliners demanding more IRA disarmament.

Following acrimonious talks at UUP headquarters in Belfast the party has decided the 860-strong council will convene next month to discuss its role in Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government.

Ulster Unionist chairman James Cooper said: ‘‘There will be a council meeting on December 1 unless the situation changes in some way.’’

Despite the IRA’s decommissioning move last month, some UUP members have insisted the Provisionals must destroy all their weapons if they are to stay in the multi-party administration.

A petition seeking an extraordinary meeting of the council to discuss the Ulster Unionists continued role at Stormont was lodged earlier this week.

But on the eve of the Ulster Unionist party conference, Mr Trimble met his MPs, Assembly team and party officers in a bid to persuade them to ditch this plan.

After securing decommissioning Mr Trimble was eventually returned to his old post as the Province’s First Minister at the second attempt after two of his Assembly team rebelled against him.

The UUP chief was hoping to avoid further antagonism as he battles to bed the political institutions.

But one hardline source who was at the party’s Glengall Street base for the two-hour talks claimed internal divisions have now deepened.

‘‘The meeting was dreadful, it just descended into acrimony,’’ he said.

The Ulster Unionist Council is now scheduled to meet at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, the setting for tomorrow’s annual conference, on December 1.

It is expected rank and file members will debate an exit-strategy from the Assembly and Executive should the IRA stop putting arms beyond use.

But Mr Cooper, a loyal Trimble aide, was unable to confirm the exact nature of the gathering.

‘‘The extraordinary meeting has been called by a number of delegates who have not specified in detail the motion they wish to put forward,’’ he said.

‘‘They simply said they want to discuss the party’s continuation in government having regard to the current political situation.’’