DUP fails in Trimble election challenge

A bid by the Democratic Unionist Party to challenge the legality of the election of David Trimble as the North’s First Minister has been rejected in the High Court in Belfast.

DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson took the case to court after Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan were elected on November 6th.

Robinson argued that their appointments came six-weeks outside the time limit set for their re-election.

The court also upheld the Northern Secretary’s ‘wide powers of discretion’ over when Northern Assembly elections could be called for.