Trimble calls for party unity

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble today challenged his internal critics to accept victory in a leadership contest.

The Upper Bann MP said it was now important to “move forward” following his victory in a leadership contest at the party’s ruling council meeting in Belfast.

Mr Trimble secured 448 votes (almost 60% of the council support).

His challengers, Coleraine marketing and management consultant David Hoey and Portadown businessman Robert Oliver, received 162 and 132 votes respectively.

And in a further boost to Mr Trimble, one of his chief critics, south Belfast MP Martin Smyth lost the presidency of the party to Lord Rogan.

Mr Trimble said he was delighted to receive the backing of “a substantial majority” of delegates.

The Ulster Unionist leader said: “To repeat a phrase I have used on other occasions this does represent the settled will of the party.

“I look forward to the party becoming settled as a result of today’s meeting and I look forward to the next challenge for our party which is the re-election of Jim Nicholson as MEP.”

Earlier one of the defeated challengers David Hoey, who received 21.6 per cent of the vote, made it clear that he would no longer be opposing Mr Trimble’s leadership.

He said: “If David Trimble believes that this is the way to take forward the party, then he has to be given the space to do that now.”

Mr Trimble said he heartily endorsed Mr Hoey’s acceptance of the result.

“I think it’s a return to the old spirit of the Ulster Unionist Party. We know that there are differences and different views on policy and matters of that nature and this is a party which does conduct debates. The important thing having had a debate is to move forward.”

Mr Nicholson said that the Ulster Unionist Council had spoken today and he would be supporting Mr Trimble.

“And I will be asking everyone in the party to support me in the forthcoming campaign on the 10th June for Europe.”