UUP chiefs will quit for leader

The officers of the Ulster Unionist Party announced tonight that if the next party leader wants a new team they will resign en mass.

The officers, including party president Lord Rogan, Lord Maginnis and MEP Jim Nicholson met today ahead of the June 24 election to find a successor to David Trimble.

They said they had agreed unanimously that it was their intention to “inform the new leader of the party, when elected, that if he or she considered it thereafter appropriate in the interests of party unity and its future management, the officers would resign their positions at an agreed date.”

Before any resignations they would make arrangements for the holding of an extraordinary general meeting of the party to ensure the election of new officers.

They said in a brief statement: “The officers consider this proposal to be in the best interests of the party and that the leadership election on the 24th June 2005 should not be distracted by this issue.”