UUP to remain in North-South Council

The Ulster Unionist Party has today been voting on the issue of whether or not the party should continue in the North-South Ministerial Council meetings.

Anti-Agreement members of the party had originally called for the UUP party to withdraw from the Council if full IRA decommissioning had not occurred by February.

However, that motion was later withdrawn in favour of a comprise measure that called for the old RUC name, emblems and flag to be reinstated.

The party members came out in support of their leader, David Trimble, with the margin of victory increased from last October’s vote.

Some analysts had forecasted an even greater victory for the Trimble camp because of the recent IRA decommissioning but of the 730 UUP members at the meeting, 409 to 320 UUP members voted in favour of staying within the North-South Council.