The Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble will face another challenge to his leadership after date for a meeting of his party’s ruling was agreed tonight.
Party officers meeting in County Fermanagh agreed that the 860-strong body would assemble on September 21st to debate whether to continue in government with Sinn Féin.
They also agreed to grant dispensation to leading anti-Agreement MPs Mr Geoffrey Donaldson and Mr David Burnside to stand in next year's Assembly elections.
Speaking after the meeting, party president Mr Martin Smith and chairman Mr James Cooper said a meeting would take place in the Ramada Hotel in South Belfast.
Mr Cooper, a keen supporter of Mr Trimble, had said earlier that a meeting would be counter-productive but today appealed for the party to show a united front.
"I think we have gone past this argument now, we have made a united decision as officers that we are going to have the meeting.
"We are determined as an officer team to make sure that the meeting is constructive, that it is on a positive note and I feel we can have a successful meeting and we can reach a consensus."
Mr Donaldson and Mr Burnside, who will now have an opportunity to join the party leader at both Westminster and the Northern Ireland Assembly, must agree to commit themselves to constituency work at Stormont.
The September 21st meeting will put pressure on Mr Trimble to pull out of the power-sharing administration.
So far he has been able to fend off challenges from the No camp.
His difficulties will be further compounded by claims from police chiefs that republicans have been involved in orchestrating recent street violence in east Belfast.
PA