Trimble wins discipline vote
Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble MP has won support for plans to discipline three rebel MPs should they fail to fall into line at Westminster.
Moreover, his leadership will have gained much strength from the victory over the dissident MPs.
The 900-member strong Ulster Unionist Council backed the leader by 55.2 per cent to 44.8 per cent.
Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson, party president the Rev Martin Smyth and South Antrim MP David Burnside were called on to return to the party whip at Westminster.
They declined the whip in July after refusing to affirm the joint declaration.
The joint declaration seeks to reduce troop numbers to 5,000, a move to propel the Northern Ireland political process forward.
It also includes issues dealing with security “normalisation”, policing and justice, human rights and equality, absconded paramilitaries and verification issues.
According to party estimates, 443 delegates supported Mr Trimble, while 359 moved to block the disciplinary action.
Mr Trimble said the result was “hugely encouraging.”
“The reality of the situation is the party and the Ulster Unionist Council have voted for themselves, they’ve voted to say to people: accept the decisions of the Council.
“And they voted to say to people, withdraw your threat to split the party and retake the whip.
“Of course if people retake the whip, as I made clear, then the issue that gives rise to consideration of disciplinary proceedings falls by the wayside,” he said.
But Mr Donaldson vowed to oppose the legislation tied to the joint declaration.
“We believe that the majority of unionists in the country are opposed to that joint declaration.
“Someone has to represent their views, and we will be there in parliament putting forward our concerns and seeking to change that which we disagree with.”
