Rebels warn Trimble of 'irreversible split'

The MPs, whose supporters have forced a meeting of the council in Belfast tomorrow, said: “To proceed with these disciplinary charges will lead to an inevitable confrontation with the three major unionist associations in South Belfast, Lagan Valley and South Antrim and no doubt with others as well.

“If this disciplinary process continues, it holds the prospect of a disastrous and irreversible split in Ulster Unionism which will leave the party as a minority rump at Westminster and no longer the major party in any future Assembly or local administration in Northern Ireland.

“Let us state unequivocally that this is not an outcome that we wish to see happening to our party.”

The MPs angered the party hierarchy in June by resigning the whip because of the Ulster Unionist Council’s failure to completely reject proposals from the British and Irish governments on the future of the peace process.

An attempt by Mr Trimble’s supporters to suspend the MPs was overturned in July by a Belfast High Court judge because they had not properly followed party procedures.

In a letter to delegates yesterday, Mr Trimble said it was regrettable that the rebel MPs had repudiated party policy, rejected the leadership of the UUP and resigned the whip.

He also alleged the MPs had announced their intentions to align with other Unionist parties “including combining to fight elections”.

He said: “In effect they said to the council, ‘Do what we say or we will split the party’.

“This is an impossible situation. We must all play by the same rules.

“We must all accept the authority of the Ulster Unionist Executive and the Ulster Unionist Council.”

The MPs have stated their opposition to proposals from London and Dublin that paramilitaries who have been on the run since the troubles can return to Northern Ireland without being jailed.

The rebels also oppose plans to scale down military installations, devolve policing and justice powers to a Stormont Executive and the proposed cease-fire monitoring body whose nominees were announced yesterday.

Despite claims by Mr Trimble that the role of an Irish Government nominee on the commission had been downgraded, the MPs today insisted that that was not the case.

The four-member commission will consist of former US intelligence chief Richard Kerr, former Metropolitan Police anti-terrorist squad head John Grieve, Lord Alderdice who acted as Speaker in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and Joe Brosnan who was a senior official in the Department of Justice.

As well as scrutinising paramilitary activity, the body will also examine if the British government is keeping to its promises on demilitarisation in Northern Ireland and whether parties in a devolved Assembly are honouring their pledge to pursue exclusively peaceful and democratic means.

Mr Trimble yesterday offered to talk to his critics if they wanted to avoid confrontation at tomorrow’s council meeting in Belfast’s Ulster Hall.

But the rebel MPs said it was their view that the party’s failure to reject London and Dublin’s proposals is still wrong.

“We cannot in all conscience, with conviction, endorse such a position and felt that we had no alternative but to resign the whip at Westminster so that we would be free to vote on a point of principle against the legislation linked to the joint declaration when it comes before Parliament,” they said.

“When these matters have been properly and fully resolved it is our clear intention to retake the Parliamentary whip.”