Northern Secretary to meet with UDA next week

Northern Secretary Paul Murphy has agreed to meet senior members of the Ulster Defence Association next week.

A number of leading figures from the loyalist paramilitary organisation are expected to attend the meeting, which was arranged by the Ulster Political Research Group, the political wing of the UDA.

The British government declared several years ago that it no longer recognised the UDA's ceasefire because of ongoing attacks and killings by the organisation.

Mr Murphy is expected to press for an end to such violence next week.

The Northern Secretary is also expected to meet in the near future with the leadership of the Progressive Unionist Party, the political wing of the Ulster Volunteer Force.