UUP to convene meeting on rebel MPs

The Ulster Unionist Party's officer board has decided to convene a meeting of the party's ruling council to decide whether disciplinary action should be taken against the three anti-agreement MPs who have defied party leader David Trimble.

All disciplinary action against the three rebels will be deferred until after the meeting on September 9.

The UUP leadership has been trying to discipline Jeffrey Donaldson, David Burnside and Martin Smyth ever since they resigned the party whip at Westminster in protest at their party's refusal to reject the Irish-British declaration on implementing the Good Friday Agreement.

The leadership moves have been frustrated by several challenges by the supporters of the three dissidents, the latest of which was to request a meeting of the UUP ruling council.

Speaking last night, Mr Trimble said he was confident that delegates at next month's meeting would endorse his leadership and reject the arguments of the anti-agreement camp.

He also said he was confident that the delegates would support the officer board's decision to take disciplinary action against the three anti-agreement MPs who have been doing everything they can to undermine his leadership in recent years.

Mr Trimble said he hoped the three dissident MPs would abide by the outcome of the meeting and row in behind the policies of the leadership should they fail to win the support of a majority of delegates.