British u-turn on RIR disbandment - report

The British government is reportedly planning a climbdown over its plans to disband the British army's Royal Irish Regiment in order to save UUP leader David Trimble's political future.

A leaked British army memo had signalled plans to scrap the RIR's three "home battalions" once paramilitary violence had ended in the North.

The plans would form part of the British Government's demilitarisation commitments under the recent Irish-British declaration on implementing the Good Friday Agreement.

The leaked memo caused uproar among unionists, with anti-agreement UUP hardliner Jeffrey Donaldson calling a meeting of the party's ruling council to discuss a proposal to reject the joint declaration in its entirety.

UUP leader David Trimble opposes the proposal to reject the Irish-British declaration and is expected to face yet another showdown with Mr Donaldson at the upcoming ruling council meeting.

However, reports now suggest the British government was preparing a statement committing it to retaining the RIR battalions at the centre of the dispute.