Trimble says UUP hardliners will give IRA excuse

UUP leader David Trimble has said hardliners within his own party will be giving the IRA an excuse to delay decommissioning if they insist on imposing another artificial deadline for complete disarmament.

In a last minute appeal for unity ahead of tomorrow’s Ulster Unionist ruling council meeting, Mr Trimble urged his critics to end their "self-destructive displays of division".

He stressed that he is committed to securing further IRA disarmament, but warned the British government that the unionist community will not accept endless extensions to the remit of the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning.