Donaldson expected to take defiant stand

Ulster Unionist anti-Agreement MP Jeffrey Donaldson is expected to make a defiant stand against party leader, David Trimble, at today's crunch meeting of the party's officer board.

Mr Trimble has called the board meeting to propose disciplinary measures against Mr Donaldson and two other MPs who came out against his handling of the peace process on Monday.

Mr Trimble is expected to ask the 14 member officer board to set up a disciplinary committee to sanction Jeffrey Donaldson, Martin Smyth and David Burnside.

All three anti-Agreement MPs resigned the Westminster party whip on Monday.

Two of them, Mr Donaldson and Mr Smyth, are entitled to attend today's meeting as members of the party's officer board.

The three men were furious that the council failed by 46% to 54% to endorse their demand for an outright rejection of the British and Irish governments' joint declaration on the way forward.

Mr Donaldson says he will fight against any disciplinary action and said ordinary party members would not support what he called vindictive moves against him.