Donaldson invited to join DUP

Anti-agreement Ulster Unionist Jeffrey Donaldson has been invited to join the DUP following his failure to get the UUP to reject the recent Irish-British declaration on implementing the Good Friday Agreement.

DUP councillor Edwin Poots said Mr Donaldson was invited to join the party hours before he lost a showdown with UUP leader David Trimble last night.

Mr Donaldson had threatened to resign from the UUP if the party did not reject the joint declaration.

There has been speculation that he and his anti-agreement UUP colleagues would defect to the DUP if last night's vote did not go their way.