Resounding victory for Trimble over rebel MPs

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has achieved a resounding victory in his bid to force three rebel MPs to resume the party whip.

Ulster Unionist Council delegates backed an amendment from Mr Trimble against three MPs, Jeffrey Donaldson, David Burnside and the Reverend Martin Smyth.

About 56% of delegates supported his call for MPs to resume the whip at Westminster, which they resigned in June in a row over party policy.

A total of 443 delegates backed their party leader's call on the MPs to end their protest.

In the run up to the vote Mr Burnside, Mr Donaldson and the Rev Smyth warned that if the disciplinary moves were not dropped it would cause an irreconcilable split in the UUP.

Jubilant supporters of David Trimble spilled out of the Ulster Hall in Belfast.