The dissident Ulster Unionist MP, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, has made a plea for unionist unity in the run-up to the general and local government elections.
Mr Donaldson highlighted six policy areas around which he feels all unionists could unite. These are a reaffirmation that the Union provides the best future for all the people of Northern Ireland, an embracing of the Stormont administration, a commitment to total decommissioning of all illegal weapons, the exclusion of Sinn Fein from ministries while decommissioning has not occurred, full support for the RUC and a rejection of the amnesty granted to republican paramilitaries on the run.