A Unionist Assembly member today accused the party hierarchy oftrying to deselect him "by the back door" as a candidate in the nextgeneral election.
The North Down MLA, Mr Peter Weir, who was chosen as the North Downcandidate last year, expressed his disappointment at the decision ofa Unionist disciplinary committee to suspend him for refusing totake the party line in the Assembly.
The UUP Disciplinary Committee suspended Mr Weir when it found himguilty on six charges at a meeting last Friday.
Mr Weir claimed today he was the victim of a "witch hunt" by theparty leadership for adhering to the party's pledge of "no guns, nogovernment" and "for having the audacity to be selected for the NorthDown Parliamentary seat".
He also criticised Fermanagh and South Tyrone UUP candidate, Mr JamesCooper, for mounting the case against him at last Friday'sdisciplinary hearing, accusing him of prosecuting him "with a relishbeyond the call of duty".
UK Unionist leader Mr Robert McCartney will be defending his NorthDown seat which he held in 1997 with a 1,449 majority over theUnionists’ Mr Alan McFarland.
The Alliance Party's Mr Stephen Farry has alsoconfirmed he will fight for the seat.
PA