Mr David Trimble should resign as Ulster Unionist leader in the absence of a radical change in party policy, Mr David Burnside said yesterday in resigning the UUP Westminster whip with Mr Jeffrey Donaldson and the Rev Martin Smyth.
Mr Donaldson, Mr Burnside, and Mr Smyth announced their decision in the Europa Hotel yesterday morning in the company of former UUP leader Lord Molyneaux, a close ally of Mr Donaldson. The decision means that the UUP now has only three MPs within party discipline, Upper Bann member Mr Trimble, North Down MP Lady Sylvia Hermon and East Antrim MP Mr Roy Beggs.
Lagan Valley MP Mr Donaldson and South Belfast MP Mr Smyth also queried whether Mr Trimble could remain as UUP leader, without specifically calling for him to resign.
South Antrim MP Mr Burnside however said that without a major policy shift by Mr Trimble he should resign. "Unless there is a complete about face by the leadership, of getting back to policies that represent the leadership, I believe the leadership position of David Trimble is untenable."
Mr Donaldson, when asked should Mr Trimble resign, said he could not speak for the leader. "But it is clear that the Ulster Unionist Party is split down the middle, and if there is to be any prospect of unionism coming together in the future then people are going to have to start addressing the question as to whether that is going to happen under the present leadership," he said.
"Never again must unionism find itself in a position where it is represented at the negotiating table by those who do not speak for the majority. That has been the position. It cannot now be the position in the future," he added.
The joint statement by Mr Donaldson, Mr Burnside and Mr Smyth was also highly critical of the UUP leadership. They said the Hillsborough Joint Declaration was "packed with concessions to Sinn Féin/IRA", adding: "It is clear that the leadership of our party does not represent and cannot speak for a growing majority of unionists and has comprehensively failed to address their concerns."
After reading their joint statement Mr Donaldson said he had given much "prayerful thought" to the options open to him. He had considered resigning but was greatly impressed by the overwhelming support he received from constituents and colleagues and by their urgings that he should stand his ground within the party.
Ahead of last Monday week's Ulster Unionist Council meeting Mr Donaldson signalled he would quit the party if his motion calling for a rejection of the Joint Declaration were defeated.
While the motion was defeated Mr Donaldson denied that he flunked that threat.
"It would have been easy for me to take a decision that would purely serve my own interests, but I have chosen to act in a way that will serve the best interests of the people I represent and unionism itself. These things must come before my own personal interest," he said.
Mr Burnside suggested that there would be a future realignment of unionism whereby anti-agreement Ulster Unionists, the DUP and other anti-agreement unionists would combine to contest elections.
This would be similar to the 1974 United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) when a similar coalition won 11 of the then 12 Northern Ireland Westminster seats, he indicated.
"This is a start to rebuild Ulster unionism," said Mr Burnside. "If it has to be done in the methods of the old UUUC then so be it - bring together the UUP, the DUP, Bob McCartney in a loose association with the long term aim to have one united unionist leadership."
Mr Smyth, who also acts as UUP president and chairs Ulster Unionist Council meetings said he intended remaining in that position, despite the fact that 54 per cent against 46 per cent voted for Mr Trimble in his confrontation with Mr Donaldson.
"Until the council remove me as president I am not resigning, just as I am not resigning my seat in Westminster," he said.