Divisions re-emerge ahead of UUP annual conference

A fresh row appears to be brewing with the embattled Ulster Unionist Party ahead of its annual conference this weekend.

Yesterday, the three anti-agreement MPs who resigned the party whip at Westminster earlier this year refused to overturn their decision, despite being expected to do so. Jeffrey Donaldson, David Burnside and Martin Smyth had applied to officially rejoin the party, but changed their minds at the last minute.

Mr Donaldson said party leader David Trimble wanted the three men to give unacceptable commitments about supporting party policy in relation to negotiations with Sinn Féin.

Mr Donaldson said he wanted to reserve the right to disagree with party policy. The three UUP dissidents resigned the party whip a few months ago in protest at their colleagues’ refusal to reject the recent Irish-British declaration on implementing the Good Friday Agreement.

However, they decided to rejoin after the UUP executive effectively rejected the joint declaration earlier this month.