UUP sidesteps Donaldson issue

Officers of the Ulster Unionist Party met yesterday but with no mention of disciplinary moves against Mr Jeffrey Donaldson.

Officers of the Ulster Unionist Party met yesterday but with no mention of disciplinary moves against Mr Jeffrey Donaldson.

Only eight of the 13-member group turned up for the meeting which was the first since the Assembly election which saw the DUP eclipse the Ulster Unionists in the Assembly.

It was thought party officers would deal with issues surrounding the call by Mr Donaldson to Mr David Trimble to step aside from the leadership and the ongoing rift within the party over policy.

Other disciplinary issues arose during the election campaign when some senior members backed the candidacy of Mr Ivan Davis. He ran as an independent in Lagan Valley against Mr Donaldson.

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The party's ruling body, the Ulster Unionist Council, is not due to meet before March, but it is thought Mr Donaldson's wing could attempt to force an earlier meeting to discuss the Trimble leadership.