UUP reinstates walkout branch

The Ulster Unionist Party has reinstated a defunct branch whose members defected en masse to the Democratic Unionist Party last month.

The Kilkeel branch in the South Down constituency had disbanded in protest at the UUP leadership's pro-agreement policies.

However, the party said today that the branch had been reconvened under a new chairman, Isaac Hayes.

Mr Hayes said the new branch already had 24 members, eight of whom were also members of the disbanded branch.